Airbus crashes into another jet at JFK airport

An Airbus jet has been captured by an amateur cameraman crashing into the back of a smaller passenger jet on the runway at JFK airport, New York.

The Air France Airbus Superjumbo, the world’s biggest passenger aircraft, caught the tail section of the Comair Bombardier CRJ regional jet, dragging it down the runway slightly and turning it almost 90 degrees from its original position.

The huge passenger plane’s pilot misjudged its taxiing space. According to NBC News the pilot of the smaller aircraft radioed: “Roll emergency trucks… We’ve been hit by – ugh – Air France.” The Comair jet was carrying 62 people on a commuter flight from Boston. The Air France jet was bound for Paris.

Roll emergency trucks… We’ve been hit by – ugh – Air France. Comair pilot

No injuries were recorded from the incident but Air France did confirm that both flights have had to be immobilised pending an investigation. Their regular daily Airbus run by Air France will continue as scheduled.

It is another setback for the success of the giant passenger jet after the technical issues with one of the fleet bought by Australian firm Qantas, last November.

Airbus v Bombadier 

The damage done, although minimal, shows just how collossal an aircraft the Airbus is compared to other passenger jets. It stands 4 times higher and wider than the Bombadier CRJ jet and over three times longer, with the possibility of carrying ten times the passengers. 

If the collision had been any nearer, as the video shows, one of the A380 engines could have impacted on the rear of the smaller jet and no doubt caused far greater damage. 

Airbus Superjumbo: 80m wide 73m long 24m high Bombadier CRJ200: 21m wide 27m long 6m high