American Airlines Jets Clip Wings At DCA With Members Of Congress Onboard

In a concerning incident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) today, two American Airlines regional jets collided on the taxiway, one with six members of Congress onboard, marking yet another mishap at this busy airfield.

Another DCA Incident: Wingtips Of Two American Airlines Planes Collide

At approximately 12:45 p.m., American Eagle flight 5490, a Bombardier CRJ900 operated by PSA Airlines and bound for Charleston International Airport (CHS), made contact with American Eagle flight 4522, an Embraer E175 operated by Republic Airways, which was stationary and preparing for departure to New York JFK International Airport (JFK).

The Embraer E17 to JFK was carrying several members of Congress, including House representatives:

• Nick LaLota (R-NY)
• Grace Meng (D-NY)
• Adriano Espaillat (D-NY)
• Ritchie Torres (D-NY)
• Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
• Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)

Rep. LaLota recounted, “Serving in Congress has come with some once-in-a-lifetime experiences… like just now while stationary on the runway at DCA, another plane just bumped into our wing.”

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority reported no injuries, and both aircraft returned to their gates without further incident. American Airlines stated that the damage was limited to the winglets of both planes, which have been taken out of service for inspection and maintenance.

This event raises fresh concerns about air traffic safety at DCA, especially following the tragic mid-air collision in January involving an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, which resulted in 67 fatalities. The Federal Aviation Administration has since implemented changes, including restricting helicopter flights near the airport.

Lawmakers on board expressed unease regarding recent FAA budget cuts. Rep. Gottheimer emphasized, “This is not a time to be cutting the FAA when they’re understaffed already.”

The FAA has launched an investigation into today’s incident. As DCA remains a critical hub for government officials and the public, ensuring stringent safety protocols is paramount to prevent future occurrences, though I’m not sure any protocol would have protected against what may just have been an incident of carelessness.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

image: @Grace4NY / X