Citizen NewsNG 
Two Delta Air Lines regional jets collided on Wednesday night at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, ripping the wing off one aircraft and leaving a flight attendant injured in what passengers described as a “terrifying smash.”
The incident occurred at approximately 9:56 p.m. as the two CRJ-900 planes, both operated by Delta subsidiary Endeavor Air, were taxiing at a low speed.
One plane’s wing was torn apart while the other’s nose was badly dented, leaving passengers stranded on the tarmac as emergency crews rushed to the scene, according to The Sun UK.
A CBS News producer who was on board one of the jets recalled the moment of impact.
“We were taxiing to our runway and we got absolutely smashed by another Delta flight… I don’t know if we hit them or they hit us, but it was super jarring,” he said.
“Everyone shot forward in their seats. It was a little chaotic; we were shocked at what happened.”
The planes involved were Endeavor Air flight 5155, scheduled to depart for Roanoke, Virginia, and Endeavor Air flight 5047, which had just arrived from Charlotte, North Carolina.
While no passengers were injured, a flight attendant sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the hospital as a precaution.
Photos and videos from the scene showed flashing emergency lights, passengers being escorted off the jets, and the crumpled wreckage of one plane’s nose.
Delta confirmed that all 85 passengers were taken off the damaged planes and bused back to Terminal C.
They were provided with food and hotel accommodations and will be rebooked on other flights.
“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 said in a statement.
“We apologize to our customers for the experience.”
Airport officials confirmed that the collision did not disrupt wider operations at LaGuardia.
The incident comes amid mounting concerns about aviation safety in the United States.
Industry insiders have warned that sweeping staffing cuts at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under the Trump administration have left critical safety functions under-resourced.
“Air traffic controllers cannot do their work without us,” an FAA employee told Politico earlier this year.
“To put it frankly, without our team… pilots would quite literally be flying blind.”
Whistleblowers also say the FAA’s Obstacle Data Team, responsible for logging skyscrapers, towers, and power lines to prevent collisions, has been cut to just eight employees nationwide.
“A building could be mapped in the wrong place or the wrong height. It’s not far-fetched,” one insider told the Daily Mail.
“We’re talking about the destruction of lives and airplanes.”
The LaGuardia collision adds to a string of recent U.S. aviation incidents. In January, a crash at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport killed 67 people.
Days later, a small plane went down in Alaska, and in February, two private jets collided in Arizona.
Federal investigators have now launched an inquiry into Wednesday’s LaGuardia crash.
On the evening of October 1 (local time), two #DeltaAirlines regional jets collided while taxiing to their gates at La Guardia Airport in #NewYork. No casualties have been reported so far. pic.twitter.com/h787lwMzVa
— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) October 2, 2025
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