Delta aircraft collides with an idle jet during pushback from the gate at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
In an unexpected incident at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Sunday morning, a Delta Airlines Boeing 757 clipped the wing of an empty Delta Airbus A350 during pushback from the gate. The incident, which occurred less than two weeks after a turbulence incident on a Delta flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, was confirmed by a Delta Airlines spokesperson and reported by CNN.
The wingtip of the departing Delta 757 struck the left wing of the parked A350. No injuries were reported among the 192 passengers and six crew members on board Delta flight DL1830, which was scheduled to depart from Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport to Guatemala City. The passengers were later reboarded on a second plane.
The FAA has launched an investigation into the incident, looking into the precise circumstances that led to the collision. The collision appears to be related to limited spatial clearance during pushback maneuvering in a congested ramp area, where air traffic controllers do not communicate with flight crews.
As a safety response, all passengers and crew on the involved flight were deplaned and assigned a different aircraft. The Guatemala-bound flight was delayed nearly four hours but eventually departed safely. The FAA’s investigation indicates attention to ramp safety and possible procedural or guidance enhancements to prevent similar wing-clipping incidents, which have been occurring with some frequency in recent months at various airports.
This incident is part of a recent pattern of wing-clipping events in US airports, highlighting operational challenges in congested ramp environments. While no detailed public disclosure on specific procedural changes by Delta or the FAA has yet been published, investigations typically lead to enhanced guidelines for ramp clearances and pushback coordination.
The Delta flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, which experienced severe turbulence less than two weeks ago, was forced to make an emergency landing in Minnesota. Twenty-five people on that flight were sent to hospitals.
The second plane took off from Atlanta shortly before 2 p.m., according to FlightAware. The incident was the second involving Delta jets in less than two weeks, but thankfully, no injuries were reported in either incident.
- Despite the recent incidents, such as the turbulence on a Delta flight from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, the finance sector continues to support the aviation industry, with Delta Airlines securing the necessary funds to ensure business continuity.
- As the general news outlets report on the wing-clipping accident at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, experts in the transportation industry have called for improved safety measures, particularly during pushback maneuvers in congested areas.
- The unexpected accidents in the US aviation industry, including the Delta wing-clipping incident and the flight that experienced severe turbulence, have sparked discussions in the industry and finance circles about the need for stricter safety protocols and increased oversight in airport operations.
