Two Delta planes collide into each other taxiing at LaGuardia Airport leading to a flight attendant injured as federal funding cuts are blamed. Planes involved were Endeavor Air CRJ-900 regional jets

Two Delta Airlines-operated passenger planes collided while taxiing at New York City’s LaGuardia Airport on Wednesday night, leading to significant aircraft damage and one crew member injured, according to officials.

The incident occurred around 9:56 p.m. when two CRJ-900 regional jets, both operated by Delta subsidiary Endeavor Air, clipped each other at low speed. Preliminary findings indicate the wing of Endeavor Air Flight 5155 struck the fuselage of Endeavor Air Flight 5047.

• Flight 5155 had been departing for Roanoke, Virginia.

• Flight 5047 had just arrived from Charlotte, North Carolina.

One flight attendant sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to the hospital as a precaution. Miraculously, no passengers were seriously harmed.

Damage & Passenger Impact

• One plane’s wing was broken off in the crash.

• The other jet’s nose was dented.

• All 93 people on board both aircraft were deplaned and later rebooked on alternate flights. Passengers were provided hotel rooms and meals while awaiting rebooking.

Photos and video from the scene show police and emergency crews on the tarmac as passengers were evacuated by bus back to Terminal C.

Two Delta planes collide into each other taxiing at LaGuardia Airport involving Endeavor Air CRJ-900 regional jets.

Delta’s Response
Delta Airlines issued a statement apologizing to customers, noting:

BREAKING: Two Delta planes have collided while taxiing at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, with a wing of one of the planes detached, reports said.

"They were taxing to the gate at LGA after landing at CLT when they were struck by another Delta regional jet that was taxiing… pic.twitter.com/eHj9HZ7gnV

— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) October 2, 2025

“Delta will work with all relevant authorities to review what occurred as the safety of our customers and people comes before all else.”

The airline confirmed that the NTSB, FAA, and Port Authority are now investigating.

FAA Concerns
The crash comes amid growing warnings from insiders at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding the potential consequences of recent job cuts.

Whistleblowers have raised alarms that reductions in safety personnel, including aeronautical information specialists, could increase risks of accidents at busy airports nationwide.

One FAA worker, speaking anonymously, told Politico:

“Without our team, pilots would quite literally be flying blind. A building could be mapped in the wrong place or the wrong height. We’re talking about the destruction of lives and airplanes.”

Industry Context
The LaGuardia collision adds to a series of aviation incidents this year:

• A fatal crash at Reagan National Airport on January 29 killed 67 people when an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines plane.

• On February 6, a small plane carrying 10 crashed in Alaska.

• On February 10, two private jets collided in Scottsdale, Arizona, killing one and injuring four.

Current Status
LaGuardia operations were not further disrupted, according to the Port Authority. The cause of Wednesday’s collision remains under investigation.