On Wednesday morning, a Japan Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and a Delta Air Lines Boeing 737-800 were involved in a collision at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). The Japan Airlines aircraft, which had just landed from Tokyo-Narita, reportedly struck the tail of the stationary Delta jet while taxiing to its gate.
The incident occurred around 10:17 a.m. on a taxiway between the S Concourse and a maintenance area. No injuries were reported.
At the time of the impact, the Delta aircraft was being prepared for de-icing before departing for Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The plane had 142 passengers on board, all of whom were safely deplaned and reassigned to another flight.
There is minimal impact to airport operations as this occurred on a taxi lane,” according to a statement.
While the extent of the damage to both aircraft is still being assessed, initial reports indicate the Japan Airlines plane’s wingtip clipped the Delta jet’s tail section. The cause of the mishap remains under investigation.
“So, we were sitting on the tarmac at SeaTac and another plane ran into us, just casually sliced into our tail,” one passenger wrote on X. “Very scary.”
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Despite the collision, operations at Sea-Tac have remained largely unaffected. However, passengers scheduled to fly out of the airport today are encouraged to check with their airlines for any possible delays.
The latest incident adds to growing concerns over aviation safety following recent high-profile accidents, including a deadly mid-air collision over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on January 29, which killed 67 people.
An American Airlines regional jet on approach to Reagan National Airport struck a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter during a training mission. All passengers and crew aboard both aircraft perished.
Investigators found the collision occurred at 325 feet, with a single air traffic controller managing both flights. The NTSB is investigating, with concerns over altitude regulations and air traffic oversight. The crash was among the deadliest in U.S. history.
This is a developing story…
