Two Delta Planes Collide in Ground Incident at Miami Airport
The low-speed collision led to extended delays for both flights involved.
Two planes operated by Delta Airlines collided on the ground at Miami International Airport on Sunday, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta.
The incident occurred between Delta Flight 2911 and Delta Flight 1654, with the flights traveling to Boston and Atlanta respectively. Airport officials told WSB-TV that the incident occurred when the Boston-bound Boeing 737 was backing away from the gate, making contact with the Atlanta-bound Boeing 757 in a low-speed collision.
Pilots don't typically back airliners out of their parking spots by themselves, and eagle-eyed viewers will know that few jets have side-view mirrors hanging off the cockpit. Instead, airliners are usually pushed back from the gate via a tug or tractor. Traffic at the airport is also strictly controlled by the tower. Thus, it will likely take some investigation to figure out the root cause of the collision.
Delta confirmed that passengers and crew from both planes were able to deplane safely after the incident. No injuries were reported as a result of the collision. The airline apologized to passengers for the “inconvenience and delay in their travel plans.”
Both flights were delayed for approximately 5 hours as Delta arranged for alternative planes to fly each route. Maintenance crews were charged with inspecting the planes involved in the accident after the fact. The Drive has requested details on the findings from Delta and will update this article as appropriate.
Collisions between airliners are never good, whether on the ground or in the air. A low-speed parking lot bingle like this one is about the best outcome you could ask for. Planes are delicate things, though. Even a light touch could damage sensors or controls and spell disaster in the air. Thus, flying after even a minor touch is generally out of the question.
Flying is still more chaotic than most of us would like. This summer has seen plenty of travel chaos, particularly in Europe, and the lingering effects of the ongoing pandemic continue to frustrate best-laid plans. Fender benders on the taxiway are only going to add to those problems.
Got a tip? Let the author know: lewin@thedrive.com
