- Two Southwest aircraft clipped wings during pushback at BWI Airport on Monday night, May 4, 2026.
- The FAA launched an investigation since the incident occurred in a non-movement tarmac area.
- No injuries were reported, but both aircraft were removed from service for wingtip damage inspections.
(BALTIMORE, MARYLAND) – Two Southwest Airlines planes clipped each other during pushback at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Monday night, prompting a Federal Aviation Administration investigation and forcing the airline to pull both aircraft from service.
Southwest Flight 1048, bound for Connecticut, and Southwest Flight 562, bound for Houston, struck each other while backing away from their gates at the airport, also known as BWI, on Monday night, May 4, 2026.
No injuries were reported among passengers or crew. Southwest rebooked all passengers on replacement flights so they could continue to their destinations, including Houston for those booked on Flight 562.
The collision happened in a non-movement area of the tarmac, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. In that part of the airfield, air traffic controllers do not communicate with pilots.
That detail placed the episode in a part of airport operations that functions differently from active taxiways and runways, where controllers direct aircraft movement. The incident unfolded during pushback, the stage when an aircraft is moved away from the gate before taxiing.
Passenger video showed damage to the wingtips of both aircraft after the collision. Southwest said it removed both planes from service because of minor damage.
Southwest issued a statement after the incident and said, “Safety is their top priority for both passengers and employees.” The airline also launched an internal review.
The company did not report injuries and moved quickly to place travelers on other flights. That response limited the immediate disruption to passengers, even as the carrier faced questions about what happened on the ground at one of its busy East Coast stations.
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating. The agency said the incident took place in an area where controllers do not talk with pilots, a distinction that shapes how responsibility is examined after a ground collision.
Federal investigators are now reviewing an event that did not occur in the air and did not happen on a controlled movement surface, but still left two commercial aircraft with visible wingtip damage. Even minor contact between airliners can trigger lengthy inspections, maintenance checks and reviews of ramp procedures.
The Baltimore incident comes amid a series of ground collisions and close calls at U.S. airports. It is the latest in that pattern, which has drawn increased attention to how airlines and airports manage aircraft spacing, communication and movement before takeoff.
That scrutiny already includes another Federal Aviation Administration probe involving Southwest Airlines. In that separate case, the agency is examining a near midair collision between two Southwest planes at 500 feet over Nashville International Airport.
Taken together, the two episodes place Southwest Airlines inside a wider national safety discussion that extends beyond any single airport. Regulators have paid closer attention to incidents that happen not only on runways and in the air, but also during routine ground operations that can appear controlled until something goes wrong.
Ground events often draw less public attention than in-flight emergencies, yet they can expose procedural gaps in places where aircraft, vehicles and crews work in tight spaces on strict schedules. A wingtip strike during pushback is a different kind of event from a runway incursion or a near midair collision, but each raises questions about how layers of safety perform under pressure.
At Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, the known facts remained narrow: two aircraft made contact while pushing back from their gates, both sustained minor wingtip damage, no one was hurt, and passengers were rebooked. The Federal Aviation Administration investigation and Southwest’s internal review now stand as the two formal tracks for determining how the contact occurred.
The incident also directs attention to a part of airport activity that most passengers never see clearly. Pushback occurs close to terminal areas, with planes maneuvered in confined ramp space before entering the movement areas of the airfield. When contact happens there, investigators look at how aircraft were positioned, how the operation was coordinated and whether spacing was maintained.
Southwest’s decision to remove both aircraft from service immediately reflects the standard caution that follows even limited structural contact. Wingtip damage can appear small on video while still requiring inspection before an aircraft returns to operation.
For the passengers aboard Flight 1048 and Flight 562, the incident ended without reported physical harm but with an abrupt interruption to their trips. Southwest said replacement arrangements were made for all travelers, including those heading to Houston.
The Baltimore collision leaves the airline dealing with a visible reminder of how quickly routine airport movements can turn into a reportable safety event. Passenger video captured the aftermath in a form regulators and airlines now confront often: immediate public images of damaged aircraft, followed by parallel reviews from the carrier and the Federal Aviation Administration.
