Delta Plane’s Wing Scrapes Runway at LaGuardia Before Emergency Go-Around

A Delta Airlines jet carrying 80 passengers and crew had a close call Sunday night when its left wing struck the runway during landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, forcing pilots to execute an emergency go-around.

The incident, which occurred around 10:10 p.m., prompted an immediate response from air traffic control after witnesses reported seeing sparks as the wing made contact with the tarmac.

“Somebody saw some sparks from one of your wings. You guys feel anything?” an air traffic controller can be heard asking the pilots in recorded audio.

“We didn’t, but we’ll check it,” the pilot responded, indicating no immediate awareness of the strike.

Despite the scare, the plane, a CRJ-900 regional jet operating as Delta Flight 4814 from Jacksonville, Florida, landed safely on its second attempt. No injuries were reported among the 76 passengers and four crew members on board.

FAA, Delta Investigate Causes

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into what caused the wing strike. The plane remains out of service while Delta’s maintenance teams assess potential damage.

Delta issued a statement following the incident, saying, “We apologize to our customers for the experience. Safety is our top priority, and our teams are thoroughly inspecting the aircraft.”

While the airline has not provided a timeline for the aircraft’s return to service, aviation experts note that wing strikes during landing are rare but can occur due to pilot error, strong crosswinds, or miscalculated descent rates.

A Troubling Pattern? Delta’s Regional Carrier Under Scrutiny

The flight was operated by Endeavor Air, the same Delta-owned regional carrier involved in a landing accident in Toronto this past February. In that case, another CRJ-900 sustained damage while landing in adverse weather conditions.

Aviation safety analyst Greg Simmons said the recurrence of incidents involving the same aircraft model raises questions about operational procedures.

“When you see two events like this in such a short time frame, it’s fair to ask whether there are training or mechanical issues at play,” Simmons told The New York Dispatch.

Passengers Unaware Until After Landing

Passengers on board the flight described feeling a slight jolt but were largely unaware of the severity of the situation until after they landed.

“I just thought it was turbulence, honestly,” said Jennifer Morales, who was flying home from a business trip. “I didn’t know anything was wrong until I saw all the emergency lights on the tarmac.”

No Impact on LaGuardia Operations

Despite the alarming nature of the incident, operations at LaGuardia remained unaffected, and no delays were reported due to the event, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The FAA has not given a timeline for its investigation, but aviation watchdogs will be watching closely as concerns about Delta’s regional operations continue to grow.