Plane preparing for takeoff rips tail off smaller jet
A Delta Air Lines plane struck a smaller jet and tore its tail off at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
The collision happened around 10.10am on Tuesday at the intersection of two taxiways, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Delta Air Lines Flight 295 was taxiing to depart when its wingtip encountered the tail of Endeavor Air Flight 5526 and ripped it off, stated the FAA.
CCTV footage of the aftermath showed more than 10 vehicles including two trucks and a crane surrounding the Endeavor Air jet on the tarmac in Georgia. Its tail was detached and at a distance from the body of the jet.
Other Delta Air Lines planes could be seen taxiing around it.
No passengers or crew on either plane were hurt.
‘There is minimal impact to airport operations,’ an airport spokesperson told ABC News.
‘Passengers from one of the aircraft are being bussed from the incident to the concourses.
‘The second aircraft taxied under its own power to a concourse where passengers will deplane at their gate.’
Delta Air Lines Flight 295 was scheduled to depart for Haneda Airport in Tokyo, while Endeavor Air Flight 5526 was supposed to take off for Lafayette, Louisiana.
The Delta plane carrying 221 customers taxied on its own to the gate and passengers were re-accommodated by the airline. Meanwhile, the 56 passengers on the Endeavor Air jet were bussed to a terminal.
‘We apologize to our customers for the experience,’ stated Delta Air Lines.
Endeavor Air is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta.
Delta is cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board in an investigation into the incident.
It is the latest crash to happen on an airport tarmac in the US.
In February, two JetBlue aircrafts collided at Logan International Airport in Boston. Flight 777 struck the right tail section of Flight 551 and the former had gray marks and dents on its winglet.
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