On the afternoon of April 10, two American Airlines jets experienced a minor collision, as they clipped wings on the grounds of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The “plane shook violently”: Passengers and Congresspeople Report on the Incident.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the wingtip of American Airlines Flight 5490 struck that of Flight 4522 on the taxiway of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at approximately 12:45 p.m.
Six members of U.S. Congress were reported to be aboard one of the aircraft, including congressperson Nick LaLota, who described the incident as one of his “once in a lifetime experiences” on X.
Representative Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey was also aboard one of the jets, who reported to ABC News that the “plane shook violently…it was pretty clear that we got hit”.
Flight 5490 had been heading to Charleston International Airport in South Carolina, whilst Flight 4522 was bound for JFK International Airport, New York.
Fortunately no passengers were hurt during this minor collision, which occurred just three months after a deadly collision between an army helicopter and a jetliner in Washington D.C.
Three Months Prior: Washington D.C.’s Fatal Mid-Air Collision
On January 29, American Airlines Flight 5342 collided mid-air with a United States helicopter over Washington D.C.’s Potomac River.
The fatal collision took the lives of 67 individuals across both aircraft, comprising of 3 crew aboard the Black Hawk helicopter, and 64 combined passengers and crew aboard the Bombardier CRJ700 airliner serving American Airlines.
The incident marked the first major commercial passenger flight crash in the U.S. in 16 years, as well as the deadliest U.S. aircraft disaster since 2001.
These incidents occur amongst complaints of congestion and overcrowding in the airspace surrounding Reagan Airport, one of the most high-traffic airports in the United States.
The busy airport operates by a “slot” system in which the amount of daily flights are limited by the Federal Aviation Administration in attempt to limit airspace congestion. Since 2000, the airport has seen over 50 new slots added to its daily schedule.
Reagan is one of three U.S. airports governed by a “slot” system, in which the Federal Aviation Administration limits the number of daily takeoffs and landings to prevent overcrowded airspace. The other two are New York’s LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy airports.
But the limits at Reagan have been repeatedly expanded by Congress itself, whose members are major users of the airport.
Congress has added more than 50 new slots to the airport’s daily schedule since 2000.
Furthermore, 2024 saw five new round-trip flights promised to the airport due to an aviation bill passed by Congress and signed into law by former U.S. President Joe Biden.
As incidents continue to occur on the grounds and in the skies of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, how do you think further incidents may be prevented? Let us know your thoughts below.
