American Airlines and Frontier Airlines Aircraft Collide with Ground Vehicles at Cleveland Airport
In an unusual series of events, American Airlines (AA) and Frontier Airlines (F9) aircraft collided with ground vehicles on consecutive days at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE). These incidents, reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), have raised concerns about ground safety at the airport.
American Airlines Boeing 737 Collides with Deicing Truck
On Monday, January 20, 2025, at 9:25 AM local time, an American Airlines Boeing 737-800 (Flight AA1315) was struck by a deicing truck while preparing for departure at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport.
Details of the Incident
- Aircraft Involved: Boeing 737-800, registered as N965NN
- Age of Aircraft: 10 years old, powered by CFM56-7B engines
- Flight Route: Cleveland (CLE) to Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
- Scheduled Departure: 6:40 AM local time
- Cause of Delay: Initial deicing operations, followed by collision damage
Following the accident, the aircraft was towed back to the gate, and passengers were rebooked on alternative flights. The FAA confirmed that the incident took place outside of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) area.
Frontier Airlines Airbus A321 Hit by Broken Towbar During Pushback
Just hours after the American Airlines incident, another aircraft mishap occurred at Cleveland Airport. At 2:00 AM on January 20, 2025, a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321-200 (Flight F94136) was damaged when a towbar on a ground tug broke during a pushback maneuver.
Key Details of the Incident
- Aircraft Involved: Airbus A321-200, registered as N720FR
- Age of Aircraft: 7.3 years old
- Flight Route: Cleveland (CLE) to Miami International Airport (MIA)
- Scheduled Departure: 9:29 AM local time
- Passengers & Crew: 110 passengers, 4 cabin crew, 2 flight crew
The impact forced an emergency evacuation, and passengers were transported to the terminal by bus. The flight was delayed until a replacement aircraft was arranged.
The FAA has launched an investigation into the incident to determine the cause of the towbar failure and assess potential safety improvements.
Similar Aircraft Incidents in 2024
Aircraft collisions on the ground are not uncommon, and American Airlines and Frontier Airlines have been involved in previous accidents at other airports.
March 2024: American Airlines and Frontier Collide at Miami Airport
On March 7, 2024, an American Airlines Boeing 777 collided with a Frontier Airlines Airbus A321neo at Miami International Airport (MIA) during a reverse maneuver at 8:30 PM.
- The Frontier aircraft was preparing for passenger boarding when the collision occurred.
- An airport worker rushed onto the tarmac to stop the American plane’s movement.
- No passengers were onboard the Frontier aircraft at the time, and no injuries were reported.
November 2024: American Airlines and Frontier Incident at Boston Logan Airport
On November 25, 2024, at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Terminal E, an American Airlines aircraft clipped the wing of a parked Frontier Airlines plane.
- The Frontier flight was bound for Dallas (DFW) with 200 passengers onboard.
- The American Airlines plane had arrived from London Heathrow (LHR) and made contact while pulling into the gate.
- Boston Logan Airport (Massport) described the incident as minor and low-speed.
Both airlines issued apologies for the inconvenience, and the American aircraft was taken out of service for maintenance.
The back-to-back ground collisions at Cleveland Airport highlight safety challenges in airport ground operations. The FAA’s investigations into both incidents will determine whether procedural changes are needed to prevent similar accidents in the future.
With past incidents at Miami and Boston airports, American Airlines and Frontier Airlines may re-evaluate ground safety protocols to ensure passenger and aircraft safety.
