Seven Relatives Sue After 2.3 mph Taxiing Collision at Seattle Despite NTSB Finding No Injuries
The lawsuits raise the prospect that Delta could face Montreal Convention liability even though the NTSB found Japan Airlines at fault and recorded no onboard injuries.
Overview
- A Japan Airlines Boeing 787 wingtip struck the vertical stabilizer of a stationary Delta 737 during taxiing at Seattle–Tacoma on February 5, 2025, and the NTSB concluded the JAL crew failed to maintain adequate clearance.
- The NTSB documented substantial tail damage to the Delta jet and attributed contributing ground factors to a slippery, congested ramp with poorly defined holding points and no ramp marshal.
- Seven members of a single traveling family have filed injury claims or lawsuits, with the most recent federal complaint by Renardo Robertson reported in August 2026 alleging back injury and invasive medical treatment.
- Because the trip was international, the Montreal Convention governs passenger claims and can make the operating carrier (Delta) initially liable for bodily injury up to a defined first-tier amount without proving Delta’s fault.
- Civil trials cannot use the NTSB’s probable-cause finding as proof of liability, so forthcoming discovery of medical records, seating and restraint data, and witness testimony will determine whether the family’s claimed injuries can be linked to the low-speed impact.