Two Delta Airlines passenger planes collided on the tarmac at LaGuardia Airport in New York City Wednesday night in a startling incident that tore the wing completely off one aircraft.
The crash occurred around 9:56 pm when two CRJ-900 regional jets, both operated by Delta subsidiary Endeavor Air, clipped each other while taxiing at low speed on the ground.
Despite the dramatic damage visible in footage from the scene, only one flight attendant sustained injuries in the collision.
The crew member suffered non-life threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital as a precautionary measure, according to a LaGuardia Airport spokesperson.
All 85 passengers aboard both aircraft were safely evacuated from the planes.
None of the travelers reported injuries from the incident.
One of the jets involved, Endeavor Air flight 5155, was preparing to depart for Roanoke, Virginia.
The aircraft collided with the fuselage of Endeavor Air flight 5047, which had just completed its arrival from Charlotte.
A CBS News producer who was on board the flight from Charlotte recounted the frightening moments after his plane landed.
“We were taxiing to our runway and we got absolutely smashed by another Delta flight… I don’t know if we hit them or they hit us but it was super jarring,” he said.
The passenger described how the impact threw everyone forward.
“Everyone shot forward in their seats, it was a little chaotic, we were shocked at what happened,” he stated.
Photographs captured in the immediate aftermath revealed extensive damage to the nose of one aircraft.
The images showed the severity of the collision that resulted in one plane losing its wing.
Emergency crews, police officers and airline personnel quickly responded to the scene.
Passengers and crew members were visible standing on the tarmac following the crash.
The airport spokesperson confirmed that all passengers were deplaned directly onto the taxiway.
Buses then transported the travelers back to Terminal C for processing, the Daily Mail reported.
Delta Airlines announced it would rebook passengers from the departing flight onto alternative aircraft.
The airline also provided hotel accommodations and meals for affected travelers while new flight arrangements were being made within hours.
“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.”
LaGuardia Airport continued normal operations following the collision.
The incident did not result in extended disruptions to other flights at the facility.
The mishap adds to growing concerns about aviation safety as the Federal Aviation Administration undergoes significant staffing reductions under the Trump administration.
Whistleblowers within the agency have been raising concerns for months about potential consequences of widespread job cuts.
An aeronautical data specialist affected by the reductions spoke about the critical nature of their work.
“Air traffic controllers cannot do their work without us,” the employee told Politico back in February.
“To put it frankly, without our team… pilots would quite literally be flying blind,” they added.
The employee spoke anonymously to discuss the terminations freely.
The aviation industry has experienced multiple serious incidents in recent months.
A collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport killed 67 people earlier this year on Jan. 29, Resist the Mainstream previously reported.
Additional crashes have occurred across the country in 2025.
The Daily Mail further noted that federal cuts have also impacted the FAA’s Obstacle Data Team, which maps aviation hazards including skyscrapers and power lines.
The department previously employed approximately 20 aeronautical information specialists responsible for maintaining a nationwide database of structures that could threaten flight safety.
Under the current administration’s reduction of federal workers, the team has been reduced to only eight members, according to an FAA whistleblower.
The remaining staff members have expressed concerns that the diminished resources could lead to critical errors in data provided to pilots, airlines, and air traffic controllers.
“A building could be mapped in the wrong place or the wrong height,” the insider said.
“It’s not far-fetched. We’re talking about the destruction of lives and airplanes.”
