The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recently published its preliminary report on a taxiway collision that occurred at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on September 10, 2024.
The accident under review involved a Delta Air Lines Airbus A350 and an Endeavor Air Bombardier CRJ-900. It has raised important questions about ground operations safety at one of the world’s busiest airports.
Incident Overview
The ground accident occurred on the morning of September 10, at approximately 10:07 AM EDT. Delta Air Lines flight 295, an Airbus A350-941 registered N503DN, collided with Endeavor Air flight 5526 while taxiing for departure.
The Endeavor Air flight, was operated by a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries CRJ-900 registered N302PQ. The CRJ-900 was stationary on taxiway H, holding short of runway 8R and awaiting takeoff clearance.
As the A350 navigated along the intersecting taxiway E, its right wingtip struck the vertical stabilizer of the stationary CRJ-900. This collision resulted in substantial damage to the empennage (tail section) of the CRJ-900. Meanwhile, the A350 sustained minor damage to its wingtip.
Sequence of Events
The NTSB’s preliminary report outlines a series of events leading up to the collision.
After turning onto taxiway E, the A350 flight crew received instructions from ground control to follow the CRJ-900 and switch to tower frequency.
While taxiing, the A350 crew observed a navigation alert message (“NAV GNSS-2”) on their electronic centralized aircraft monitor (ECAM).
The First Officer informed the tower that they needed to stop and consult with maintenance before departure.
Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructed the A350 to continue straight ahead on taxiway E and hold short of taxiway V to address the issue.
As the A350 approached the intersection with taxiway V, the captain focused his attention straight ahead and to the left, aiming to prevent the left wingtip from interfering with opposite direction traffic from taxiway V.
At this critical moment, the right wingtip of the A350 collided with the vertical stabilizer of the stationary CRJ-900.
Post-Collision Actions
Following the impact, the A350 captain immediately halted the aircraft and engaged the parking brake.
Airport rescue and firefighting (ARFF) personnel conducted an exterior examination of the A350 before clearing it to return to the gate.
Investigation Details
The NTSB’s investigation to date has included several key components:
- Analysis of FAA-provided certified ADS-B latitude and longitude data
- Preliminary examination of Flight Data Recorder (FDR) information
- Interviews with both flight crews on September 13 at Delta Air Lines general offices
- Airworthiness group examination of the accident aircraft from September 11 to 13
Data analysis revealed that the collision occurred at 10:07:46. It confirms that the CRJ-900 was stationary and the A350 moving at a ground speed of approximately 12 knots.
Aircraft Positioning
Endeavor Air reported that the distance from the hold short line to the nose landing gear of the CRJ-900 was approximately 56 feet.
This positioning detail is crucial for understanding the spatial relationship between the two aircraft at the time of the collision.
Ongoing Investigation
The NTSB’s preliminary report serves as an initial assessment of the incident. The investigation will continue, likely focusing on several areas:
- Human factors, including crew situational awareness and communication
- Air traffic control procedures and guidance
- Airport layout and taxiway design
- Aircraft systems, particularly in light of the navigation alert on the A350
- Visibility and environmental conditions at the time of the incident
As the Atlanta airport investigation progresses, the NTSB may issue safety recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future.
This incident serves as a reminder of the complex choreography required in airport ground operations, especially at high-traffic facilities like Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International.
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