Two United Airlines jets clipped wingtips while preparing for departure at San Francisco International Airport early Tuesday, marking the second wing-strike incident at a U.S. airport in less than a month, according to the FAA.
Flight UA863 to Sydney (Boeing 777-300ER reg. N2747U) struck the left wingtip of Flight UA877 to Hong Kong (Boeing 777-300ER reg. N2645U) around 00:30 local time, during pushback from the gate in an area outside air traffic control communication.
No injuries occurred, and passengers on both planes were safely deplaned. The two flights were cancelled, and United rebooked affected travellers.
The FAA is investigating this incident as well as a similar event in April at Reagan National Airport, where two American Airlines regional jets bumped wings — one carrying seven members of Congress.
These events come amid growing scrutiny over airport ground safety and air traffic communication, particularly following a deadly January mid-air collision near Reagan and a March military flyover incident that nearly led to another accident.
The FAA continues to investigate both recent ground collisions and broader systemic issues in U.S. airport operations.