Delta Airlines Plane Resumes Service After Atlanta Airport Collision

ATLANTA- A Delta Air Lines (DL) CRJ-900LR, which lost its tail in a collision at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) in 2024, has made a triumphant return to service after a year-long restoration process.

This remarkable revival highlights not just Delta’s engineering excellence but also the dedication of its maintenance teams.

Operated by Delta’s subsidiary Endeavor Air, this CRJ-900LR underwent extensive rebuilding instead of being scrapped. This choice not only preserved a valuable airframe but also illustrated Delta’s commitment to sustainable fleet management.

Aviation photographer Brian Uretsky has recently shared captivating images of the refurbished jet back in action.

Delta CRJ-900LR Returns to Service

The incident took place on September 10, 2024, when the regional jet was waiting to take off for Lafayette (LFT).

While taxiing, a Delta Airbus A350 on an adjacent path collided with the CRJ-900LR’s tail via its wingtip. The impact severed the jet’s vertical stabilizer, resulting in significant structural damage. Thankfully, only one flight attendant sustained minor injuries.

Despite the substantial damage, Delta Air Lines opted not to retire the aircraft. Instead, it underwent a thorough repair program lasting almost a year. Engineers replaced the entire tail section and conducted meticulous checks of the airframe and systems before recertifying it.

According to industry experts, Delta’s choice to rebuild the jet rather than write it off signifies a growing trend in aviation to extend aircraft lifecycles through advanced repair technologies.

Last month, the refurbished aircraft (registration N302PQ) was seen outside the maintenance hangar, sporting a freshly painted tail adorned in Delta’s signature colors.

After successful ground tests, the aircraft embarked on its inaugural post-repair flight on September 24, 2025, completing a 90-minute test before repositioning to Middle Georgia Regional Airport (MCN) for final cosmetic adjustments.

Collision Details

Initial findings from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) indicate that the regional jet was halted approximately 56 feet shy of the runway’s threshold, violating standard holding position norms.

The captain of the Airbus A350, focusing on traffic to the left, failed to spot the CRJ on his right, leading to the unfortunate tail strike.

The severity of the impact completely severed the CRJ’s vertical stabilizer. Emergency services responded quickly, classifying the damage as a “major structural failure.”

However, Delta’s maintenance personnel recognized the opportunity to restore the 11-year-old jet, asserting it still possessed over 20 years of potential service life.

Precedent in Aviation Recovery

After nearly a year of meticulous engineering, stress tests, and flight validations, the CRJ-900LR has successfully rejoined Delta’s regional fleet. It is expected to undertake short-haul flights throughout the southeastern United States.

Team members involved in the project described it as among the most technically challenging restorations in Delta’s history.

While such recoveries are rare, they are not entirely unheard of. In 2023, United Airlines successfully repaired a damaged Boeing 767 after a landing incident, illustrating the airline industry’s ability to restore heavily damaged aircraft to safe operational status.