2 Planes With Hundreds On Board Bump Into Each Other On LAX Tarmac
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A plane arriving at Los Angeles International Airport and one departing bumped into each other on Sunday night but no injuries were reported.
Emergency personnel responded to the tarmac after the two aircrafts made contact just after 7:51 p.m.
According to a spokesperson for LAX, United Airlines Flight 1199 from New Jersey had landed and was taxing at Gate 73 at Terminal 7 when it and another aircraft bumped.
Diana Westmyer, a passenger on board the United flight, says she felt a huge jolt before the pilot asked passengers over the intercom to remain in their seats with their seat belts on.
"And then they came back and said we can't move yet because they're connected," Westmyer said of the planes. "They said they wanted everyone to sit back down because they were either gonna pull us away from the other plane or pull the other plane away from us."
Westmyer said she could see a big piece of the plane on the ground which she says "had clearly broken off."
The other aircraft was described as Alaska Airlines Flight 543, which was departing from Gate 66.
A spokesperson for United Airlines told CBS Los Angeles the flight was taxing in at low speed when another aircraft made contact with it. A maintenance team was inspecting the aircraft.
A total of 169 passengers were on board the United flight, along with six crew members. All passengers have since deplaned.
There were a total of 182 passengers aboard the other flight headed for Portland, which also had six crew members.
A spokesperson for Alaska Airlines says the plane was being pushed back from the gate around 7:45 p.m. when its wingtip clipped the aircraft.
"The aircraft was taken out of service for inspection," the Alaska spokesperson said. "Alaska re-accommodated passengers on another aircraft that departed at 9:37 p.m. for Portland."
There were no reports of injuries. Both planes sustained damage.
The circumstances leading up to the incident were not immediately known.
