A Delta Air Lines Airbus A350 struck the tail of an Air Canada Boeing 777 while taxiing for departure at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Tuesday morning, leaving its wingtip lodged in the 777’s tail. The Airbus A350-900 — operating Delta flight DL7 to Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) — clipped the 777’s horizontal stabilizer with its left wingtip as the Air Canada jet was being towed to its gate.

No injuries were reported among the 275 passengers and 15 crew members on board the Delta flight or among those on the Air Canada aircraft. However, both jets have been removed from service for inspection and repairs. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) says it has opened an investigation into the incident, while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has also been notified.

Delta A350 Wingtip Strikes Air Canada 777 Tail At LAX

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The collision occurred at around 10:30 AM local time on a taxiway near Terminal 6, as the Delta A350 was taxiing toward the runway ahead of a planned departure to Tokyo. Meanwhile, the Air Canada 777-200LR had arrived earlier that morning as flight AC785 from Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ) and was being towed when it stopped short of its gate.

According to an ABC7 News report, as the Delta A350 taxied past the Air Canada jet, its left wingtip struck the 777’s right horizontal stabilizer. Images of the aftermath show that the impact tore off the A350’s winglet and lodged it in the 777’s stabilizer, also causing a large gash in the Air Canada plane’s tail.

The collision was captured on air traffic control recordings, with both crews reporting the incident to the controller moments after the contact. The Air Canada pilot was heard asking, “We just felt a shudder there. Is everything looking ok?” The Delta pilot then reported, “It looks like we are having an issue with the wing tip. I don’t know if you can see from your position.” The FAA has since released a statement on the collision:

“Delta Air Lines Flight 7 was taxiing for departure when its left wingtip clipped the horizontal stabilizer of Air Canada Flight 785. The Air Canada flight was being towed when it stopped short of its gate.”

What Investigators Will Examine

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Investigators will need to establish why the Air Canada 777 stopped short of its gate and how its position related to the path of the taxiing A350. One passenger on the Delta aircraft told ABC News that the Air Canada aircraft began moving into its path as the A350 taxied from the gate toward the runway.

Neither airline nor the FAA has said what instructions air traffic controllers gave the Delta crew or the tow team at the time of the collision. The incident involved two of the widest aircraft commonly seen at LAX. The A350-900 has a wide wingspan of 64.75 meters (212 feet), while the 777-200LR’s is even wider at 64.8 meters (212 feet 7 inches).

Both Aircraft Remain Grounded At LAX

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The Delta A350-900 involved, registered N512DN, was delivered to the airline in January 2019, making it just under eight years old. The widebody can accommodate up to 275 passengers. The Air Canada 777-200LR, registered C-FIVK, is approaching 19 years old and is one of just six 777-200LRs in the Canadian carrier’s fleet, although it also operates a further 19 777-300ERs. The airline’s 777-200LRs can seat up to 300 passengers across three cabin classes.

Flight tracking data shows that both aircraft remain grounded in Los Angeles while inspections and repairs are carried out. Delta Flight DL7 to Tokyo — operated by a replacement A350 — would eventually take off on Tuesday evening at a delay of more than eight hours, departing LAX at 6:08 PM. Meanwhile, C-FIVK was scheduled to operate the return service to Toronto, AC786, at 11:55 AM, but the flight was canceled.