a plane from Delta Air Lines collided with a regional jet while taxiing for takeoff at Atlanta's airport, causing severe damage to the smaller jet's tail. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate the incident, which occurred at the intersection of two taxiways.
A Delta reported that the wing of a Airbus A350, bound for Tokyo-Haneda, collided with the tail of a CRJ-900 of Endeavor air, which was en route to Lafayette, Louisiana. The impact caused damage to the tail of the regional jet and the wing of the A350. The company said all 221 engers on the A350 and 56 engers on the CRJ-900 were unharmed. Endeavor is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta.
The increasing number of near-crashes and runway incursions last year has raised concerns about aviation safety and the shortage of air traffic controllers in the United States. The NTSB has called for the introduction of additional technologies to prevent accidents. FAA Mike Whitaker said the agency is already using technology at some airports to warn of aircraft in improper positions on runways and taxiways.
“We started implementing very simple turnkey solutions so that controllers have better situational awareness”, Whitaker said, adding that calls have nearly dropped by more than half in the first half of the year. “So there is progress, but we need to improve. There is no excuse for this to happen.”
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