American Airlines plane and bus collide at LAX airport, 5 people hurt
Federal officials are investigating a collision between a shuttle bus and an American Airlines plane being towed at Los Angeles International Airport.
Five people suffered injuries in the Friday night strike – the latest in a string of unusual incidents at major airports in just over a month.
How did the crash happen?
The plane, an Airbus A321 jet, was being towed on a taxiway about 10 p.m. local time when it hit a bus, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
The plane was being pulled from a gate to a parking area when it swiped the bus transporting people between terminals, officials said.
Who was hurt?
The only person on the plane, a worker, was treated but declined to be taken to a hospital, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
An American Airline spokesperson told USA TODAY on Monday that two airline team members received medical attention and one was transported to local hospital for further evaluation.”
In all four people were taken to hospitals after the “low-speed collision," the department said in a news release. The driver of the tug pulling the plane was in moderate condition and the driver and two passengers on the bus were in fair condition, LAFD reported.
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A jet being towed tonight from a gate to a parking area made contact with a shuttle bus, resulting in injuries to about 5 people. We thank our partners @LAFD for quickly responding and treating passengers from the bus. Other LAX operations remain normal.
— LAX Airport (@flyLAXairport) February 11, 2023
How bad was the damage?
There was no interruption to airport operations, the airport said.
A large skid mark from the jet's tire was visible, and the windshield of the bus had extensive damage, according to ABC7.com.
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A spate of similar incidents
The plane strike comes on the heels of several other recent similar incidents at major airports.
On Feb. 4, two airplanes nearly collided at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas after a FedEx cargo plane aborted its landing on the same runway that a Southwest Airlines flight was taking off from. The National Transportation Safety Board called the incident in a tweet a "possible runway incursion and overflight."
Just one day earlier, a United Airlines Boeing 787 being towed at Newark Liberty International Airport clipped the wing of a parked United plane, a Boeing 757-200, the FAA said. No one was injured and airport operations were not affected, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said.
The close calls also come after a similar incident at John F. Kennedy International Airport in January. A preliminary investigation from the FAA found a Delta Air Lines had stop its takeoff roll after an American Airlines flight crossed the runway from an adjacent taxiway. Days after the near-collision, a JetBlue plane struck the tail of a parked aircraft at the same airport.
More:
Fire in the plane cabin: Four people taken to hospital after a laptop 'ignited' during a flight
FAA proposes fining United Airlines $1.15 million for allegedly removing fire safety check
Contributing: The Associated Press
Natalie Neysa Alund covers trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Five hurt after American Airlines plane collides with bus at LAX
