Low-Speed Collision Between Two Delta Regional Jets at LaGuardia Airport: Safety Concerns Rise

New York:

A low-speed collision occurred between two Delta Air Lines regional jets on the taxiway at LaGuardia Airport in New York, resulting in injury to a flight attendant, damage to a cockpit, and partial wing destruction.

The incident involved an aircraft with 32 passengers preparing for departure to Roanoke, Virginia, which collided when its wing struck the fuselage of another aircraft arriving from Charlotte, North Carolina, carrying 61 people, according to Delta's statement.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reported that a flight attendant suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital. Delta confirmed no passengers were injured in the collision.

Air traffic control audio captured a pilot saying, "Their right wing clipped our nose and the cockpit we have damage to our windscreen and... some of our screens in here." Visual evidence showed one plane with a broken wing while the other sustained a shattered cockpit window and deeply gouged nose cone.

Passenger William Lusk described the experience to ABC, stating the plane that had landed "stopped, jerked, and jumped to the right," followed by silence among passengers before the pilot calmly announced they had been in a crash and instructed everyone to remain calm.

Delta assured that other airport operations would not be affected by the incident.

The airline stated, "Delta will work with all relevant authorities to review what occurred as safety of our customers and people comes before all else," and offered an apology to customers for their experience.

Both aircraft involved in the collision were CRJ-900 planes operated by Endeavor Air as Delta Connection flights. The Federal Aviation Administration, which is investigating the incident, noted these planes typically accommodate 70 to 90 passengers.

LaGuardia Airport is equipped with advanced surface radar systems installed by the FAA to track aircraft and vehicles on the ground and alert controllers to potential conflicts, though it remains unclear what role this system played in the collision.

This incident adds to growing concerns about aviation safety following the deadliest plane crash in the United States in decades, which involved an airliner colliding with an Army helicopter, along with other recent crashes and near-miss incidents.