- Date
- July 27, 2024, 04:25 UTC
- Place
- Salt Lake City, UT · Near Taxiway H12
- Injuries
- 254 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Defining events
- Taxi-into takeoff position: Ground collisionTaxi: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 194782
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Delta Air Lines flight 2046 flight crew's incorrect evaluation of the clearance between their airplane and Delta Air Lines flight 2046 as they turned onto a perpendicular taxiway.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
N853DN · Boeing 737
N361NW · Airbus A320
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
N853DN · Boeing 737
N361NW · Airbus A320
Analysis
Delta Air Lines flight 2046, a Boeing 737-932ER, N853DN, collided with Delta Air Lines flight 2677, an Airbus A320-212, N361NW, while taxiing to runway 16L for takeoff during night visual meteorological conditions at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), Salt Lake City, Utah. There were no injuries to the passengers and crew onboard either airplane, and N361NW sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and elevator. Both airplanes were operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 121 as regularly scheduled domestic passenger flights. Delta Air Lines flight 2677 Delta Air Lines flight 2677 was taxiing in line with other aircraft on taxiway H for takeoff from runway 16L at SLC, and all were stopped on taxiway H awaiting takeoff. The ground controller at the SLC air traffic control (ATC) tower advised all the airplanes that the current winds were 360 @ 5 knots. These conditions exceeded the tailwind limitation of their airplane and required the flight crew to recalculate takeoff performance parameters. The flight crew set the parking brake as the airplane was sitting between taxiways H12 and H13, and the flight crew recomputed takeoff performance calculations. They subsequently heard the crew of Delta Air Lines flight 2046 on the radio stating that they could take an intersection departure from taxiway H12 with the current winds. Delta Air Lines flight 2046 Delta Air Lines flight 2046 taxied to runway 16L on taxiway H and lined up behind DAL 2677. While awaiting takeoff, the updated winds were relayed to the flight crew. The captain of DAL 2046 requested new takeoff numbers from the company using the updated higher tailwind, and the updated performance numbers allowed their airplane to takeoff from runway 16L at taxiway H12 with a tailwind up to 9 knots. The flight crew contacted the tower and requested takeoff clearance from runway 16L via taxiway H12. The ATC ground controller queried if DAL 2046 had enough clearance to maneuver behind DAL 2677 onto taxiway H12. The flight crew responded affirmatively and received takeoff clearance from the ATC tower to depart on runway 16L from taxiway H12. The flight crew of DAL 2677 observed DAL 2046 starting to turn, recognized they were too close, and released the parking brake to move forward several feet. However, the movement forward was not enough to avoid a collision. As DAL 2046 was turning onto taxiway H12, the crew felt a bump, and quickly determined their left winglet had contacted the tail of DAL 2677. Both airplanes safely taxied back to the gate, discharged passengers, and there were no reported injuries on either airplane. Inspection at the gate revealed the left winglet of DAL 2046 struck the horizontal stabilizer of DAL 2677 and had substantially damaged the elevator.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N853DN
- Reported as
- Boeing 737 (932ER)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31964
- Built
- 2016
- Airframe hours
- 27,217
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-7B27E/B1F, 28,400 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl CFM56-7B27E/B1F, 28,400 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · July 27, 2024
- Departed
- SLC · Salt Lake City, UT
- Destination
- BZN · Bozeman, MT
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SLC · Salt Lake City Intl, runway 16L, 12,002 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N361NW
- Reported as
- Airbus A320 (212)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0907
- Built
- 1998
- Airframe hours
- 75,389
- Engines
- CFM Intl. CFM56-5-A3, 26,500 lbs thrust, turbo fanCFM Intl. CFM56-5-A3, 26,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Registered owner
- Delta Air Lines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · July 27, 2024
- Departed
- SLC · Salt Lake City, UT
- Destination
- DFW · Dallas, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Onboard weather, Data recorder, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 4
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N853DN
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 28, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 6,906 total · 979 in this make and model · 1,650 as pilot in command · 98 in the last 90 days · 37 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N853DN
- Age
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 7, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 5,130 total · 1,249 in this make and model · 151 as pilot in command · 143 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N361NW
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 13, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 14,595 total · 4,833 in this make and model · 8,194 as pilot in command · 178 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N361NW
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 7, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 3,007 total · 755 in this make and model · 956 as pilot in command · 165 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.81 inHg
- Observed at
- KSLC
Docket · 5
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 20, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.8 MB in all.