In a late-night incident on Friday at Los Angeles International Airport, an American Airlines shuttle bus crashed with one of the airline’s Airbus A321 planes that were in tow, leaving four passengers hospitalized.
Initial reports from the local fire department state that the tug driver, the bus driver, and two passengers on the bus were all transported to the hospital. The condition of the drivers was described as “moderate,” while that of the passengers as “fair.”
The only airline employee aboard the aircraft at the time of the accident sustained minor injuries. There were no passengers on board. The worker was given medical attention on the spot but chose not to go to the hospital.
Around 10:15 p.m., the incident occurred while the plane was being towed along a taxiway.
A passenger bus has collided with a plane at LAX#LosAngeles #California
A passenger bus collided with a American Airlines plane which was in the process of being towed at LAX airport. pic.twitter.com/GNbVpXjhVZ— DEFCON (@DEFCONNEWSTV) February 11, 2023
Vehicle traffic and aircraft may occasionally share taxiways, but aircraft should always have the right of way.
Although the accident’s cause has not yet been identified, an LAX representative stated in a statement:
“The aircraft that was being towed from a gate to a remote parking location made physical contact with a bus traveling on the south side of the LAX airfield.”
“Members of the Los Angeles Fire Department responded and treated about five people at the scene (a tug driver plus bus passengers). There is no major operational disruption at LAX.”
The passenger bus’s windscreen had sustained significant damage, according to photos collected on the scene.
