Two Delta planes collide while taxiing at LaGuardia Airport, passenger describes chaos

WASHINGTON, DC: Two Delta Airlines planes collided, ripping the wing off one of the jets. The incident left passengers and crew in shock, and one person was injured.

The terrifying accident unfolded at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday, September 1.

Passenger describes Chaos at NYC Airport after two Delta jets collide

Chaos erupted after two packed jets collided at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport. The collision occurred around 9:56 pm and involved two CRJ-900 regional jets operated by Delta’s subsidiary, Endeavor Air.

One of the aircraft, Endeavor Air flight 5155, was preparing to depart for Roanoke, Virginia, while the other, Endeavor Air flight 5047, had just arrived from Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Both planes were moving slowly on the taxiway when one jet’s nose slammed into the other’s right wing, causing extensive damage.

Video footage shared on social media showed emergency vehicles flashing on the tarmac and the wing of one plane completely broken off. Air Traffic Control (ATC) later revealed that the pilots also reported windshield damage. 

In a video shared online, one passenger described the chaos, ‘So we just landed in New York on a Delta flight from Charlotte, coming back from work. As we were taxiing, we got absolutely smashed by another Delta flight. I don’t know if they hit us, but it was super jarring. Everyone lurched forward in their seats, and it turned chaotic the moment it happened. We were all shocked at what had just happened.’”

“Delta will work with all relevant authorities to review what occurred, as the safety of our customers and people comes before all else,” an airline spokesperson said. “We apologize to our customers for the experience.”

One flight attendant sustained injuries and was transported to the hospital as a precautionary measure, according to a LaGuardia Airport spokesperson. All 85 passengers on both planes escaped unharmed and were safely guided off the aircraft onto the taxiway. They were later transferred by bus to Terminal C, where they were offered hotel accommodations, meals, and rebooking options within hours.

The collision has raised renewed safety concerns at LaGuardia and across the aviation industry. Whistleblowers have warned that reduced staffing in air traffic control could heighten the risk of such accidents.

This incident adds to a series of recent mishaps at LaGuardia. For now, passengers involved in the crash are safe—though shaken—as Delta works with authorities to investigate the cause. 

Delta plane collision at LaGuardia sparks online outrage over ATC staffing

Social media users were quick to react to the crash. One person wrote, "With the shutdown going on, more incidents will happen in the near future — we need more ATC staff…" 

Another user shared, "Flightradar24 video showing the collision of the CRJ's at LaGuardia Airport."

"How on earth did they not see each other??" another user questioned. 

"Seems they were not paying attention — let’s see the pilots," someone else added.

Another user raised concerns about staffing: "Are the Flight Control Centers already understaffed due to the Schumer Shutdown?"

Recent plane crashes raise FAA safety concerns

Earlier this year, a major accident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport claimed 67 lives, according to the Daily Mail.

On February 6, a small plane carrying 10 people crashed in Alaska. Just days later, on February 10, two private jets collided at Scottsdale Airport, killing one person and injuring four others.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a team of about 20 aeronautical information specialists once maintained the national database, but that number has since been reduced to just eight.

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