3 United Planes Collide At SFO In 2025: The Shocking Pattern Of Ground Incidents
The safety record of United Airlines at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) is under intense scrutiny following a third significant ground collision in the year 2025. The latest incident, which occurred just a few days ago on Monday, December 16, 2025, involved two United aircraft clipping wings on the tarmac, adding to a troubling pattern that has prompted a serious investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). While classified as a "minor incident" by the airline, the repeated nature of these accidents—all involving aircraft maneuvering near the gate area—raises fundamental questions about ground operations, pushback procedures, and ramp controller oversight at one of the nation's busiest hubs.
This most recent event, which caused flight cancellations and significant delays for passengers, highlights a growing concern among aviation safety experts. Unlike a mid-air collision, which is exceedingly rare, ground collisions often point to procedural errors or lapses in communication within the complex environment of airport ground operations. The FAA has confirmed its probe into the December incident, seeking to determine the exact cause and whether it is linked to systemic issues within United's SFO operations or the airport's infrastructure itself.
The December 16, 2025, SFO Ground Collision: What We Know
The latest collision took place in the early hours of Monday, December 16, 2025, at San Francisco International Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the incident occurred at approximately 12:35 a.m., though some sources simply refer to "Monday" morning.
The core details of the event center around a departing aircraft, identified in some reports as United Flight UA863. As the aircraft was executing its standard pushback procedure from the gate, its right wingtip made contact with another parked United Airlines jet. The impact resulted in noticeable winglet damage to at least one of the aircraft involved.
Crucially, there were no reported injuries to passengers or crew on either plane, a fortunate outcome that has been consistent across the year’s incidents. Passengers were deplaned normally and returned to the gate area while both aircraft were taken out of service for thorough inspection and repair. The resulting disruption led to the cancellation of the affected flights, causing significant travel delays for hundreds of passengers just before the peak holiday travel season.
Key Entities and Facts from the December 2025 Incident:
- Date: Monday, December 16, 2025
- Location: San Francisco International Airport (SFO) Tarmac/Gate
- Airline: United Airlines
- Type of Incident: Ground Collision / Wingtip Clipping
- Flight Involved: United Flight UA863 (departing)
- Damage: Wingtip/Winglet damage
- Injuries: Zero reported injuries
- Investigating Body: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
A Troubling Pattern: United's 2025 SFO Ground Safety Record
What makes the December 16 collision a major story is that it is not an isolated event. This incident is the third widely reported ground collision involving United Airlines aircraft at SFO in 2025 alone. This frequency has shifted the narrative from a simple "minor incident" to a potential systemic failure in ground operations and tarmac safety.
The previous incidents serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing issues:
The May 2025 Boeing 777 Collision
In May 2025, two massive Boeing 777-300ER jets operated by United clipped wings while preparing for departure. This incident involved flights bound for major international destinations, specifically Sydney and Hong Kong. The collision occurred as both wide-body aircraft were pushing back from adjacent gates. One of the aircraft, registered as N2747U, sustained damage to its right winglet. The sheer size of the aircraft involved in this wingtip collision made the event a major logistical hurdle, leading to the cancellation of two long-haul international flights.
The Labor Day Weekend Incident
A separate, but similar, incident was reported around Labor Day weekend in September 2025. In this case, two United flights—one destined for Boston and another for Denver—were involved in a minor tail collision during the gate pushback phase. Like the others, this event resulted in no injuries but forced both aircraft out of service for damage assessment and repair, compounding flight delays across the United network.
The repeated nature of these ground collisions, all occurring during the low-speed, highly controlled environment of the gate area, suggests that the problem may lie in the coordination between the flight crew, the ramp controller, and the ground handling teams. This is a critical area of airport ground safety that the FAA and United Airlines must address immediately.
The FAA Investigation and Future of SFO Ground Safety
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that it is actively investigating the December 16 collision, treating all ground collisions seriously due to the inherent risks and potential for catastrophic outcomes, even in minor incidents. The investigation will focus on several critical areas to establish the root cause:
Firstly, investigators will review the pushback protocols used by the ground crew. This includes examining whether the airline staff followed safe pushback procedures and if there was any failure in ramp controller oversight. Secondly, the probe will look at the possibility of human error, including pilot or ground crew fatigue and adherence to established Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearances.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), while typically involved in more severe accidents, is also closely monitoring the FAA's progress, as a pattern of repeated incidents can indicate a broader safety concern that requires regulatory intervention. The goal is not just to find fault in the December incident, but to identify and mitigate any systemic issues that could lead to a more serious event in the future. The repeated wingtip damage and aircraft grounding incidents are costly and erode public confidence in United Airlines safety standards at SFO.
Moving forward, SFO and United Airlines may be compelled to implement enhanced ground safety procedures. This could involve updated training for ground crews, stricter ramp control regulations, and potentially modifications to the gate layouts to ensure adequate clearance for modern, wide-body aircraft. The industry is watching closely to see if these "minor incidents" will finally trigger a major review of ground operations at one of the world's most critical aviation hubs. The airline has stated it is cooperating fully with the FAA to prevent any further occurrences of this worrying trend.
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