On Thursday afternoon, a minor collision occurred between two American Airlines jets on the ground at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. This incident unfolded just three months after a tragic midair accident near the same location, highlighting ongoing safety concerns in the region.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the wingtip of American Airlines Flight 5490 made contact with another aircraft, American Airlines Flight 4522, while taxiing on the runway. The collision took place around 12:45 PM local time, raising alarms among passengers and crew aboard both planes.
Among the passengers on Flight 5490 were at least two members of Congress. Nick LaLota, a Republican representative from New York, confirmed via a post on X that there were no injuries. He described the event as “just now while stationary on the runway at DCA, another plane just bumped into our wing.” LaLota expressed relief that everyone was unharmed, stating, “Heading back to the gate, but thankfully everyone is ok.”
LaLota’s colleague, Grace Meng, a Democratic representative from New York, was also on board and attempted to lighten the mood by handing out grapes to fellow passengers. She shared her gratitude on social media, saying, “I’m grateful no one was hurt today.”
According to the FAA, Flight 5490, a Bombardier CRJ 900, was en route to Charleston International Airport in South Carolina, while Flight 4522, an Embraer E175, was headed to JFK International Airport in New York. Both aircraft were able to return to their gates without any reported injuries.
In a statement, American Airlines confirmed that there were 76 passengers on Flight 5490 and 67 on Flight 4522, reiterating that no injuries occurred. The airline emphasized that “safety is our top priority” and apologized for the incident. Furthermore, both aircraft have been taken out of service to undergo thorough inspections by the airline’s maintenance teams.
The damage from the collision was reported to be minimal, affecting only the winglets of both aircraft. However, the FAA has announced that it will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident.
This collision follows a recent and more serious accident involving an American Airlines flight and a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter on January 29, where 67 individuals tragically lost their lives. The cause of that disaster is still under investigation, with preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) suggesting that certain helicopter operations near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport may need to be restricted.
