The wingtip of an American Airways airplane hit one other American Airways airplane on a taxiway at Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, in response to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Nobody was harm, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority stated. Each planes returned to gates and airport operations weren’t impacted, the company stated.
Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., tweeted that his airplane was “stationary on the runway” when one other airplane “ran into our wing.”
“Fortunately everyone seems to be okay!” he added.
“We acquired bumped on our proper wing — it was a loud sound,” LaLota advised ABC Information Stay.
He stated when he regarded out of the window, he noticed the wing shaking.
“The airplane shook violently,” Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., one other member of Congress on the flight, advised ABC Information Stay. “It was fairly clear that we acquired hit.”
“The pilot got here on and advised us we weren’t going anyplace besides again to the gate. We then waited about 45 minutes or so earlier than they might transfer us,” Gottheimer stated.
He known as the incident unacceptable.
“The secret’s now to ensure we’re doing, from an oversight perspective, every little thing attainable to make it possible for the FAA is taking applicable motion, not simply to analyze what occurred, however going ahead to guard all of our airports,” he stated.
On this Feb. 4, 2025, file photograph, a airplane prepares to land as different planes wait on a runway at Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport in Arlington, Virginia.
Eduardo Munoz/Reuters, FILE
“This isn’t a time to be reducing the FAA[‘s jobs] after they’re understaffed already,” he stated, calling it “deeply regarding.”
Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., who was additionally on the flight, agreed with Gottheimer, writing on social media, “I am grateful nobody was harm in the present day, however this incident underscores this pressing want restore all FAA jobs that preserve our runways secure.”
The airline stated “the injury was restricted to a winglet on every plane” and the planes “have been taken out of service to be inspected.”
“Security is our high precedence, and we apologize to our clients for his or her expertise,” the airline added.
The representatives’ flight was headed to JFK Worldwide Airport in New York. The opposite airplane was headed to Charleston, South Carolina.
The FAA stated it is investigating.
Reagan has been under scrutiny since January, when an American Airways airplane and an Military helicopter collided close to the airport, killing everyone on board both aircraft.
