# NTSB DCA24LA295: Airbus A330-323, N808NW, Atlanta, GA, August 31, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: August 31, 2024, 19:47 local (23:47 UTC)
- Place: Atlanta, GA
- Coordinates: 33.633997, -84.44146 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6340&lon=-84.4415&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining events: [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200); [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 629 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Parties: Delta Air Lines, FAA, Air Accidents Investigation Branch
- NTSB case key (mKey): 195036
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA24LA295
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195036/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195036
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA24LA295

## Probable cause (aircraft 1)

Delta Air Lines flight crew’s incorrect evaluation of the clearance between their airplane and the airplane directly ahead of them as they made a 90 degree right turn onto an adjacent taxiway.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew (probable cause), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Airbus A330-323, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=3940030), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Empennage structure: horizontal stabilizer](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035510): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Damaged/degraded (probable cause), aircraft 2; cases with it: [All aircraft, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035510/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event), aircraft 1; cases with it: [Airbus A330-323, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=3940030), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md)
- [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event), aircraft 2; cases with it: [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md)

## Analysis (aircraft 1)

Delta Air Lines flight 105 (DL105), an Airbus A330-323, collided with Virgin Atlantic Airways flight 104 (VS104), an Airbus A350-1041, while taxiing to runway 27R at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Atlanta, Georgia. There were no injuries to the passengers and crew onboard either airplane. The left winglet of DL105 contacted the right horizontal stabilizer of VS104, resulting in substantial damage to the latter. The accident occurred about 17 minutes prior to sunset and there was no precipitation or obscuration at that time. Based on statements from both flight crews, both airplanes were on taxiway L enroute to runway 27R, with VS104 directly ahead of DL105. While nearing the turnoff to runway 27R, the VS104 flight crew informed ATL air traffic control tower (ATCT) that they required additional time at the end of taxiway L to recalculate takeoff data due to a runway change. Subsequently, the DL105 flight crew advised the ATL ATCT they were able to depart immediately and were cleared to depart runway 27R using taxiway LC; VS104 was near taxiway LA at this time (see figure 1). The left seated pilot for DAL105 stated that the taxi speed of VS104 had slowed during DAL105’s turn onto taxiway LC, and he looked back at the left wingtip and saw it had already cleared beyond the tail of VS104. However, the left winglet of DL105 had already collided with the right horizontal stabilizer of VS104, but neither flight crew was aware that a collision had occurred. The DL105 flight crew described feeling a shudder, described similar to running over an uneven taxi surface, while the VS104 flight crew heard an abnormal noise, without any abnormal movement of the airplane. Both airplanes departed to their respective destinations without any reported flight control or performance anomalies. The damage to both airplanes was confirmed during postlanding inspections. Figure 1. Ground position tracks of both airplanes at the estimated location of the collision.

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: [N808NW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N808NW), registered now, S/N 0591, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS A330-323
- Registry model: [Airbus A330-323](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-a330-323) (registry code 3940030) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PW4000 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pw4000-series) (registry code 52119, turbo-fan) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 0591
- Year built: 2004
- Airframe hours: 89923.09
- Engines: Pratt and Whitney PW4168A 68000 lbs thrust turbo fan; Pratt and Whitney PW4168A 68000 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, August 30, 2024
- Destination: SBGR, Sao Paulo, OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: KATL, Hartsfield_jackson Atlanta International
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: G-VPRD (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS A350 (1041)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 0319
- Year built: 2019
- Engines: Rolls Royce XWB-97 turbo fan; Rolls Royce XWB-97 turbo fan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 129
- Operator: Virgin Atlantic Airways
- Registered owner: Astree SAS
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Destination: LHR, London, OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft N808NW; age 63; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 16, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 15,260 total, 4,651 in this make and model, 8,599 as pilot in command, 210 in the last 90 days, 66 in the last 30 days
- Co-pilot, aircraft N808NW; age 41; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 11, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 8,040 total, 506 in this make and model, 1,567 as pilot in command, 186 in the last 90 days, 65 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot, aircraft 2; age 59; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 23, 2024; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 14,746 total, 2,879 in this make and model, 5,752 as pilot in command, 171 in the last 90 days, 70 in the last 30 days, 8 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot, aircraft 2; age 51; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 9,394 total, 161 in this make and model, 3,783 as pilot in command, 161 in the last 90 days, 67 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 22,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: KATL
- METAR: METAR KATL 312352Z 29006KT 10SM FEW050TCU SCT180 BKN220 31/20 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP147 OCNL LTGCG DSNT N CB DSNT N NE-E TCU NE T03110200 10344 20311 55002

## Docket (8 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 3, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195036. 17.9 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - delta air lines (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 4.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19186915&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120_DAL%20DCA24LA295_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 - virgin atlantic (item 2, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19186349&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120_VAA%20DCA24LA295_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Delta air lines pilot statements (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 267 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17693537&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA24LA295%20Pilot%20Statements_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Flight data recorders - specialist's factual report (item 4, PDF, 15 pages, 6 photos, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18217032&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorders%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Rel.pdf
- Flight data recorders - specialist's factual report - ATTACHMENT1 - virgin A350-1000 tabular data (item 5, CSV, 6.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18217596&FileExtension=csv&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorders%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report%20-%20Attachment1%20-%20Virgin%20A350-1000%20Tabular%20Data-Rel.csv
- Flight data recorders - specialist's factual report - ATTACHMENT2 - delta A330-323 tabular data (item 6, CSV, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18218107&FileExtension=csv&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorders%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report%20-%20Attachment2%20-%20Delta%20A330-323%20Tabular%20Data-Rel.csv
- Flight data recorders - specialist's factual report - ATTACHMENT3 - ADS-B tabular data (item 7, CSV, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18217208&FileExtension=csv&FileName=Flight%20Data%20Recorders%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report%20-%20Attachment3%20-%20ADS-B%20Tabular%20Data-Rel.csv
- Photos (item 8, PDF, 8 pages, 731 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19180199&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA24LA295%20Investigation%20Photos-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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