Two Delta Air Lines regional jets collided Wednesday night at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, injuring a flight attendant and damaging both aircraft. The incident occurred around 9:56 p.m. local time when Endeavor Air-operated CRJ-900 Flight 5155, bound for Roanoke, Virginia, struck the nose and cockpit of Flight 5047, which had just arrived from Charlotte, North Carolina, and was taxiing to its gate.
Onboard Flight 5155 were 32 people, while Flight 5047 carried 61, bringing the total to 93. Although no passengers were hurt, a cabin crew member sustained a knee injury and was taken to a hospital for treatment, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
Damage was significant. Images showed part of a wing torn off one plane, while the other’s cockpit windscreen was shattered and its nose gouged. Air traffic control audio revealed one pilot reporting, “Their right wing clipped our nose and the cockpit. We have damage to our windscreen and some of our screens in here.”
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation, dispatching a 10-member team to the scene. Flight data and cockpit voice recorders from both aircraft were recovered and sent to Washington, D.C., for analysis. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that the Roanoke-bound jet had been instructed to “hold short and yield” before the collision.
Delta described the crash as a “low-speed collision” but declined to release speed details, citing the ongoing probe. Passenger video, however, appeared to show one jet moving at a brisk pace.
Former FAA and NTSB investigator Jeff Guzzetti suggested that reduced visibility at night, combined with standard practice of turning off nose lights while taxiing, may have contributed. While LaGuardia is equipped with advanced ground radar designed to prevent runway collisions, it remains unclear whether the system played a role in this case.
Passengers from both flights were safely transported by bus to the terminal, given meals and hotel accommodations, and rebooked on Thursday departures.
“Delta will work with all relevant authorities to review what occurred, as safety of our customers and people comes before all else,” the airline said in a statement, apologizing to passengers.
