Delta Plane Collides With Air Canada Jet at LAX
The FAA is investigating an incident at Los Angeles International Airport where a Delta flight clipped an Air Canada jet on the tarmac.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a collision between a Delta aircraft and an Air Canada jet on the tarmac of Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday morning. Delta Air Lines Flight 7 was preparing to depart around 10:30 a.m. when its left wing clipped the horizontal stabilizer of Air Canada Flight 875 while taxiing, the FAA stated.
The Air Canada flight was being towed when it stopped short of its gate, according to officials. A Delta spokesperson confirmed that the company's aircraft "made contact" with the Canadian airplane. There were 275 customers and 15 crew members on board the Delta flight at the time of the incident, and no injuries were reported.
The Delta flight was bound for Tokyo Haneda Airport. An aerial photojournalist described the collision as "small," noting that it appeared the Delta plane was on the taxiway while the Air Canada plane was at or near a gate. The winglet of the Delta plane reportedly made contact with the horizontal stabilizer of the Air Canada plane.
An LAX spokesperson indicated that airport operations returned to normal following the incident. While the FAA is investigating, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated they are gathering information to determine if the damage is substantial enough to launch their own probe.
Delta has stated it will cooperate with any investigation. The airline issued an apology for the customers' experience and travel delay. This incident follows a prior collision involving an Air Canada plane in March, when one of its aircraft crashed into a fire truck at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, resulting in fatalities and injuries.