A scary incident unfolded at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta just after 10 a.m. Tuesday morning when two Delta Air Lines planes collided on the runway while taxiing for takeoff. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.
Per CNNThe incident occurred when the wingtip of a Delta Airbus A350 en route to Tokyo “contacted” a Delta CRJ 900 regional jet operated by Endeavor Airlines and bound for LaFayette, LA, causing damage to the regional jet's tail and the Airbus' wing. A spokesperson for the airline said the regional flight passengers were being taken back to the terminal by bus. The regional jet was carrying 56 passengers at the time, while the Airbus had 221 passengers.
“There have been no reports of injuries at this time and customers are being transported back to the terminal to be re-accommodated on alternative flights,” Delta said in a statement on its website.
The affected runway was subsequently closed, along with several nearby taxiways, according to public information from the Federal Aviation Administration. The agency also said it was investigating the incident and that Delta was cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board “and other authorities.”
Tampa-based meteorologist Jason Adams was on one of the planes and described the collision: TMZ He described the incident as “very jarring” and said there were “metal scraping sounds followed by loud bangs”. However, he added: “We're OK. There's no fire or smoke.”
“I just saw two planes crash into each other while one was taking off. CRAZY!” an eyewitness shared photos on social media, later correcting to say that both planes were on taxiways and not taking off.
I just watched two planes crash into each other after taking off. CRAZY! @Delta @FoxHaberler @FAANews pic.twitter.com/cjWazBa8oK
— Talbot Cox (@TalbotCox) September 10, 2024
Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport is the world’s busiest airport. Just a few weeks ago, in another incident at the Delta Air Lines maintenance area at the busy Atlanta airport, two people died when a Delta Boeing 757 blew a tire while being undocked. The FAA was also aware of the accident and was in communication with Delta.