What happened to the Delta A350 that collided with CRJ at Atlanta Airport?

ATLANTA- A few months ago, the Delta Air Lines (DL) Airbus A350, registered as N503DN, collided with another Delta aircraft, Bombardier CRJ, at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL).

The aircraft is apparently grounded as it was heavily damaged and is currently undergoing repairs.

Delta A350 collided with CRJ status

On September 10, 2024, Delta Flight DL295, operated by a 7-year-old A350 bound for Tokyo Haneda (HND), struck Endeavor Air Flight 5526, a CRJ900 bound for Lafayette, Louisiana, with its wingtip.

The incident is currently under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), so information about it is limited. But we received an update from a Reddit user who is probably an aircraft engineer working on it.

According to the Delta Aircraft Maintenance Technician (AMT), the A350 is grounded and undergoing extensive repairs due to significant internal structural damage to the wing.

Both Airbus and Delta engineers have been involved since the incident to plan an appropriate repair as this level of wingtip damage to an A350 is unprecedented.

The collision caused parts of the wing structure directly within the winglet to bend and break. The repair was slowed by the complexity of the work and a two- to three-month wait for replacement parts that are not readily available for this newer aircraft model.

Delta maintenance technicians reported severe deformation and cracking in the wing’s internal structures, requiring extensive non-destructive testing (NDT) and analysis, followed by communication with Airbus for detailed repair instructions.

The fate of the CRJ remains uncertain as Delta and its insurers continue to evaluate the feasibility of repairs. External repairs on the A350 require a rigorous manufacturing, installation, inspection and certification process to ensure airworthiness.

In conclusion, such an incident has never happened with the A350 in the world and it is one of the newest aircraft. So such repairs will take time.

Here is the summary of the information we received from technicians and engineers.

Summary of work and damage

Primary impact zone

• The collision caused significant damage to the A350’s wing structure
• The impact point is directly inside the winglet
• Internal structural components suffered severe bending and cracking
• Several internal wing structures had to be removed due to damage

Technical challenges

• First documented case of wing damage of this type on an A350
• Composite construction requiring special repair protocols
• Possible hidden damage to spars and adjacent systems
• Complex requirements for non-destructive testing (NDT).

Complexity of the repair process

Technical response

1. Immediate involvement of the Airbus engineering team
2. Development of customer-specific repair procedures
3. Comprehensive analysis of damage patterns
4. Multiple inspection cycles required

Supply chain issues

• Extended delivery time from 2-3 months for critical components
• Limited parts availability for newer aircraft types
• Special manufacturing requirements for composite structures
• Complex procurement process for non-standard repair parts

CRJ900 status

• Final disposition pending assessment by the insurance company
• Possibility of repair by Delta maintenance team
• Details of the extent of the damage are not fully disclosed
• Insurance assessment in progress

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