Delta A350 Wingtip Hit Parked Endeavor CRJ900 During Atlanta Taxi

A Delta Air Lines A350-900 struck an Endeavor Air CRJ900 at an Atlanta taxiway intersection after the regional jet stopped 56ft short of its intended holding point. The A350’s right wingtip tore away the CRJ’s vertical fin and damaged its horizontal stabiliser, while the A350 sustained damage along its right wing.

The collision occurred on 10 September 2024 as the A350 taxied toward runway 8R at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Runway 9L, the route normally used, was closed. The change put the aircraft on a ground path that brought it past the CRJ900 near the threshold of runway 8R.

The two aircraft were moving through a closely spaced set of taxiways. Taxiway E runs parallel to an adjacent runway and meets taxiways V and H near the runway 8R threshold. The A350 crew was told to follow the Endeavor jet along E, then switch to the tower frequency. The CRJ had turned toward H to wait before entering the runway.

Position at the intersection

The CRJ’s captain said the jet was stopped at the holding line. The inquiry found it was parked 56ft before that point. That position left its tail within the A350’s swept path: the A350’s right wingtip reached 106ft from the centreline of taxiway E, leaving too little room for the larger aircraft to pass safely.

The measurements help explain why the aircraft could appear to have room between them while still being on a collision course. A wingtip extends far beyond the path traced by the wheels, and the available clearance depends on the position and orientation of both aircraft. Here, the A350’s wide wingspan met the CRJ’s tail at an intersection where the regional jet had stopped short of the location its captain recalled.

The A350 captain told the inquiry his attention had settled on the opposite side of the aircraft. He was watching the left wingtip as the jet approached taxiway V, concerned it might encroach on traffic coming from that taxiway. “I became so worried about my left wingtip, I forgot about the right wingtip,” he said.

From the flight deck, judging the distance between an A350 wingtip and a nearby aircraft was difficult, the inquiry found. The first officer was looking at the navigation display and an electronic flight bag to identify taxiway V. The crew therefore had different immediate tasks in view as the A350 approached the intersection, while the aircraft’s right wingtip clearance remained a separate concern.

Damage and operational response

The A350 was taxiing at about 12kt when the aircraft made contact. The impact left the CRJ’s fin and horizontal stabiliser attached only by flight-control cables, wiring and a small section of skin. On the A350, damage ran from the end of the outboard slat to the winglet.

No one aboard either aircraft was seriously injured. Delta later circulated an internal reminder to crews about staying alert during ground operations and recognizing threats as they arise.

The event puts the focus on a familiar challenge in taxi operations: aircraft position, wingtip clearance and changing traffic conditions have to be managed at the same time. A crew may be tracking one wing around an intersection while the other side is close to an aircraft that has stopped nearby. The inquiry’s account also shows why confirming where another aircraft is actually parked matters, especially when its tail sits close to the path of a larger jet.

For operators, the practical takeaway in Delta’s reminder was to keep reassessing the surroundings during taxi, rather than allowing attention to stay fixed on a single hazard. The Atlanta collision involved a particular combination of aircraft dimensions, taxiway geometry and stopping position. The lasting operational question is how crews maintain awareness of both wingtips while also navigating intersections and monitoring traffic.

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