What happened
On October 19, 1996, at approximately 1638 eastern daylight time, a McDonnell Douglas MD-88, registration N914DL, was performing an instrument flight rules (IFR) approach to land on runway 13 at LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in Flushing, New York. The aircraft, operated by Delta Air Lines, Inc. as flight 554, struck the approach light structure and the end of the runway deck during its descent.
The flight originated from William B. Hartsfield International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia, departing at approximately 1441. On board the aircraft were two flightcrew members, three flight attendants, and 58 passengers. During the event, three passengers reported minor injuries, while the remaining 60 occupants were not injured.
The impact caused substantial damage to several parts of the aircraft, including both engines, the main landing gear, the wings (specifically the slats and flaps), and the lower fuselage. At the time of the approach, instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) were prevailing at the airport.