A Japan Airlines flight taxiing at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport clipped the tail of a parked Delta aircraft on Wednesday morning, airport officials confirmed.
The incident occurred as Japan Airlines flight 68 arrived from Tokyo’s Narita International Airport.
Collision During Taxiing
At around 10:17 a.m., the right wingtip of the Japan Airlines Boeing 787 made contact with the tail of Delta Air Lines flight 1921. The Delta Boeing 737 was stationary at the time, waiting for deicing before takeoff. Airport officials responded quickly to assess the situation.
All 172 passengers and 13 crew members aboard the Japan Airlines flight, as well as the 142 passengers on the Delta plane, were safely deplaned. No injuries were reported, and Delta passengers were transferred to a new aircraft for their trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
Passengers Felt the Impact
Jason Chan, a passenger on the Delta flight, described feeling the plane “jiggle back and forth” when the collision happened. Shortly after, the captain announced that the aircraft had been hit. Passengers remained calm as they were transported back to the terminal.
Seattle airport authorities stated that the incident caused minimal disruption since it happened on a taxi lane. Emergency response crews worked to move both aircraft off the ramp and clear the area.
FAA Investigating the Incident
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the collision. Delta and Japan Airlines have yet to provide further details on potential damage or operational impacts.
