Two Delta planes collided Tuesday morning on a taxiway at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, causing damage but no injuries. A Delta Airbus A350 bound for Tokyo clipped the tail of a smaller Bombardier CRJ-900 regional jet, which was preparing to take off for Lafayette, Louisiana. The smaller aircraft, operated by Delta subsidiary Endeavor Air, had its tail knocked over by the impact.
Jason Adams, a meteorologist from Tampa's WFTS-TV, was aboard the CRJ-900 and shared the experience on social media, describing the event as "terrifying." Adams recounted the sudden sounds of "metal scraping" and "loud bangs" but confirmed there was no fire or smoke. He also posted pictures showing the tail of the smaller plane lying on the taxiway.
Delta confirmed that the wing of the Airbus A350 was damaged in the incident. Passengers from the regional jet were bused back to the terminal, while the larger plane returned to a gate under its own power.
Delta and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the collision, with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also involved. Despite the incident, airport officials reported only minimal disruptions to operations at the world's busiest airport. Passengers from both flights were rebooked.
