Near Collision on Reagan National Airport Runway, Under FAA Investigation

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating a near-collision incident that occurred at Reagan National Airport (DCA) on Wednesday morning. According to ABC News, the incident involved an American Airlines flight and a private King Air plane.

The FAA reported that the King Air plane was cleared to land on an intersecting runway but was instructed to abort the landing. However, the aircraft had already touched down.

At the same time, an American Airlines flight was accelerating to 80 knots for takeoff when it was abruptly ordered to stop. The pilot informed air traffic control that the aircraft would require an inspection due to the sudden stop. As a result, the American Airlines flight was delayed for four hours but departed safely, landing at Logan Airport in Boston.

In response, American Airlines stated, "The safety of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we're grateful to our crew for their professionalism. We will support the FAA in its investigation."

Following the incident, Senator Tim Kaine highlighted a recent congressional bill aimed at increasing the number of flights at DCA. He remarked, "...this incident underscores again that DCA is at capacity. This shows why Senate action to jam even more flights into DCA was so dangerous."

The incident highlights the critical need for enhanced safety measures and careful consideration of airport capacity limits.