- Six members of Congress were on board a commercial airplane when its wing got clipped by another American Airlines jet.
- The lawmakers were on their way out of Washington, D.C., at the start of a two-week break on the Hill.
- The FAA is working on adding safety measures to the Reagan Airport.
As many members of the U.S. House of Representatives left Washington, D.C., Thursday at the beginning of a two-week break, six of them found themselves on a plane that made contact with another on the tarmac of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The plane, about to depart for John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, was stationary when its wing was clipped by another American Airlines jet leaving for Charleston, South Carolina, according to The New York Times.
The incident came just about a week after the airport announced it was implementing new safety measure in the wake of a deadly crash between a passenger jet and a helicopter in January, per USA Today.
It is pretty common to see members of Congress on commercial flights at that airport, especially during breaks. According to The New York Times, the six members on board the flight were four Democrats from New York: Grace Meng, Gregory Meeks, Ritchie Torres and Adriano Espaillat; as well as Nick LaLota, a Republican from the same state, and Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat.
And just like the rest of us, multiple members on board took to social media to chronicle the experience.
According to CNN, the winglet, an aerodynamic wing tip, fell off the plane.
“There is no effect on flight operations at Reagan National Airport, as both aircraft have returned to gates and no injuries were reported,” the airport said in a statement," according to CNN.
“Safety is our top priority, and we apologize to our customers for their experience,” American Airlines said in a statement, per The New York Times.
Safety concerns at Reagan Airport
Thursday’s incident brought added attention to safety procedures at the airport, after it was already under scrutiny following the deadly crash between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter in January.
In the NTSB’s preliminary report on the January crash, the board asked the airport to ban helicopters from flying near certain areas of the airport. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy had also instructed the FAA to permanently close the helicopter route that the Black Hawk used at the time of the January crash, mandating it will only be used in very limited circumstances.
Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration announced specific steps it would be taking to improve safety at Reagan Airport, according to USA Today.
The number of operational supervisor staff will be increased from six to eight, and staffing numbers for air traffic controllers will also be reviewed.
As the airport continues to add additional flights to the already crowded airport, the FAA will be reviewing the arrival rate of aircraft per hour.
The FAA will also be increasing support and oversight for air traffic controllers at Reagan Airport.
“To support the well-being of controllers, a Critical Incident Stress Management team will visit DCA in early April, offering confidential support for staff following stressful events. The FAA will also conduct regular wellness checks at the facility,” said a statement from the agency, per USA Today.
Members of Congress shared the experience on social media
After the two planes made contact on the tarmac at Reagan Airport, several representatives on board posted about the incident on X.
Gottheimer posted on X confirming that everyone on board was safe, but also criticized the recent cuts made to the FAA, a comment to which Duffy responded.
Another congressman, Meeks, also brought attention the to cuts made to the FAA in his post on X.