The wing tip of an American Airlines regional jet clipped another plane on the taxiway at Reagan National Airport early Thursday afternoon, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
There were no initial reports of injuries. At least five members of Congress from New York and New Jersey posted on social media that they were on one of the planes – with some saying the incident underscores the need for more airline safety funding and personnel.
Tensions at the airport have been high ever since the January collision between a military helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet scheduled to land at National Airport that left 67 people dead. The FAA has put new leadership in charge of the air control tower at the airport and offered counseling to staff members there.
Around 12:45 p.m. Thursday, the wing tip of American Airlines Flight 5490 – a Bombardier CRJ 900 headed to Charleston International Airport in South Carolina – struck American Airlines Flight 4522 – an Embraer E175 bound for JFK International Airport in New York, according to the FAA statement. It was not immediately clear what caused the incident.
“There is no effect on flight operations at Reagan National Airport, as both aircraft have returned to gates and no injuries were reported,” the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which operates the airport, said in a statement.
Four crew members and 76 passengers were on board the plane heading to Charleston, which was operated by PSA Airlines, according to American Airlines, which referred to both as American Eagle flights. Four crew members and 67 customers were on board the plane set for New York City, operated by Republic Airways.
“Both aircraft taxied to the terminal and have been taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance teams. The damage was limited to a winglet on each aircraft,” the airline said in a statement a couple of hours after the incident. “Customers will board replacement aircraft to continue their trips.”
Controllers at National Airport have been under intense pressure and scrutiny in the wake of the Jan. 29 collision between the plane and the helicopter. Staffing on the evening of the crash was “not normal,” a preliminary FAA report said; two air traffic controllers were doing double duty.
Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy has raised the pay for recruits and successfully rebuffed efforts to cut air traffic controller positions as part of the Trump administration’s campaign to slash the federal government. But other FAA roles have been cut, and union officials say air traffic controllers and maintenance technicians might have to pick up some of the work other employees once did.
Among those on board one of the American Airlines planes Thursday afternoon was Rep. Gregory W. Meeks (D-New York), who posted on X: “This close call underscores the urgent need for more FAA funding – people’s lives are at stake. Cuts and firing FAA employees are not the answer. Seven members of Congress were on board along with dozens of other concerned passengers.”
His colleague Rep. Grace Meng (D-New York), also on board and quick to chronicle the incident on social media, shared a similar call to “restore all FAA jobs that keep our runways safe.” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-New Jersey) echoed the sentiment, writing: “Recent cuts to the FAA weaken our skies and public safety.”
Duffy, the Transportation Secretary, responded to the incident on X, saying that no “safety-critical positions” at the FAA had been cut and asking Gottheimer to “stop the fear mongering” and “stick to the facts.”