The Federal Aviation Administration has launched an investigation after two Delta Connection flights operated by Endeavor Air made contact while taxiing at LaGuardia Airport.
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Officials said the collision happened at the intersection of Taxiways M and A. Flight 5047 was on its way to the gate when Flight 5155 struck it, despite air traffic control instructing Flight 5155 to hold position.
Delta confirmed that the preliminary assessment showed the wing of Flight 5155 clipped the fuselage of Flight 5047. A total of 93 people were on the two aircraft combined, with 32 on Flight 5155 and 61 on Flight 5047.
One of the crew members on board sustained a minor injury during the impact. EMTs treated the flight attendant at the scene before transferring the individual to a local hospital, according to the Port Authority.
A CBS News producer on Flight 5047 captured footage of the aftermath, showing visible damage to the other plane’s wing. The passenger also recalled the unsettling moment of contact.
“It was a pretty violent collision. At the time, we didn’t really know like kind of what we hit,” Joey Annunziato said. He compared the sound to a sardine can tearing open and added, “We looked at the right side of the plane, and the wing looked like it was almost like off the plane.”
Before passengers disembarked, the pilot addressed those on board, telling them, “It seems as though there’s an aircraft that collided with us.”
Everyone from both planes was escorted to the shuttle buses. Delta arranged overnight accommodations for travelers who needed them and rebooked passengers on replacement flights the following day.
In a public statement, Delta addressed the collision.
“Delta teams at our New York-LaGuardia hub are working to ensure our customers are taken care of after two Delta Connection aircraft operated by Endeavor Air were involved in a low-speed collision during taxi,” the airline said. “Delta will work with all relevant authorities to review what occurred, as safety of our customers and people comes before all else. We apologize to our customers for the experience.”
The FAA confirmed that there was no impact on wider airport operations, but both the agency and Delta continue to review what caused the collision on the busy taxiway.
