Airbus A380 clips smaller jet's wing at JFK Airport

New York City:  The world's largest passenger aircraft clipped a much smaller commuter plane on a dark, wet tarmac at New York City's Kennedy Airport, spinning it like a toy as hundreds of passengers sat in both planes. No one was injured.

The two jets - an Airbus A380 operated by Air France and a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet - were towed away after the collision around 8 pm on Monday and will be inspected to determine the extent of their damage, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said.

The Airbus A380 was taxiing out to a runway when its left wingtip crashed into the tail of the regional jet, operated by Comair for Delta Air Lines and stopped on an intersecting taxiway, whipping the smaller plane around nearly 90 degrees.

Air France said 485 passengers and 25 crew members were aboard the Paris-bound Flight 7.

The Comair flight was carrying 62 passengers and four crew members.

The National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, board spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said.

An audio recording of conversations between the JFK controller responsible for coordinating the movement of planes on the tarmac and the two aircraft indicates the Comair plane was trying to exit the taxiway but may have stopped short because of congestion on the ramp - the area where planes park, a global aviation safety lobby spokesman said.

The superjumbo Airbus is as tall as a seven-story building, with a wing span as wide as the length of a small street.