The National Transportation Safety Board said on Thursday that it’s investigating the accidents, indicating that they may be more serious than usual or that there may be a pattern. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
(Bloomberg) — Delta Air Lines Inc. planes were involved in three wingtip collisions in separate low-speed accidents over two days at New York’s John F. Kennedy airport, leaving one man injured.
Low-speed collisions
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Thursday that it’s investigating the accidents, indicating that they may be more serious than usual or that there may be a pattern. Low-speed collisions between planes and other aircraft or vehicles on the tarmac and taxiways occur relatively regularly and often don’t cause significant damage or injuries.
The first accident occurred at 7:12 p.m. on Aug. 15, when a Boeing Co. 737 operated by Delta and an American Airlines Group Inc. Boeing 757 each were taxiing out for departure. The Delta plane’s left wing touched the American jet’s tail. No one was injured, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Truck driver treated at hospital
About 4:30 p.m. the next day, a JFK ground crew was directing a Delta CRJ regional aircraft in a terminal ramp area when its left wing touched the right wing of a second Delta CRJ plane that was parked at the gate. An hour later, the left wingtip of a Delta MD-88 aircraft touched a flatbed truck as it was turning into a ramp area.
While the federal agency reported no injuries, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Joseph Pentangelo said the driver of the truck, described as an aircraft tug vehicle, was treated at a hospital and released.
A Delta spokesman didn’t immediately comment.
In 2011, the NTSB opened an investigation into a collision at JFK between an Air France double-decker Airbus A380 plane taxiing before takeoff and a Comair Inc. regional jet that was arriving at a gate.
Smaller plane spun around
A video of the collision showed the smaller plane being spun around after the A380 struck its tail. None of the 576 people on the aircraft was injured, according to NTSB.