An American Airlines plane narrowly avoided a catastrophic collision with a private aircraft on the runway of Reagan National Airport (DCA) on Wednesday morning. Audio recordings reveal a tense moment when an air traffic controller had to urgently cancel the takeoff clearance for American Airlines Flight 2134 to prevent a disaster.
The incident occurred at 10:21 am local time as the private King Air plane, a Hawker Beechcraft, was landing on an intersecting runway. The American Airlines Airbus A319, carrying over 100 passengers, was bound for Boston and had already reached speeds of 80 knots (around 110 miles per hour) on Runway 1 when the takeoff was abruptly aborted.
The audio exchange was chilling. The controller is heard saying, “American 2134 cancel takeoff clearance… zero alpha alpha go around, go around.” To which the American Airlines pilot responded, “Rejecting the takeoff 2134.” Meanwhile, the pilot of the King Air, already on the ground, replied, “Zero alpha alpha, cannot go around, we are already on the ground.”
After the emergency cancellation, the air traffic controller asked, “American 2134, do you want to go back to the gate?” The American pilot confirmed the need for an inspection, noting, “I think we were above 80 knots so we’re going to have to get an inspection.”
Aviation expert Tom Kinton commented on the harrowing situation, noting that the American Airlines pilot was “almost at the point of no return.” He explained that the two planes were just 1,300 feet apart at their closest, a distance that could close rapidly given the speed of the aircraft.
Following the near-miss, the American Airlines plane returned to the gate for a routine inspection by maintenance crews. It eventually departed around 2:30 pm and safely landed at Boston’s Logan Airport.
This incident comes just a month after a similar near-collision involving JetBlue and Southwest planes, with the JetBlue flight also bound for Boston. In response to the latest close call, American Airlines reiterated its commitment to safety. “The safety of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we’re grateful to our crew for their professionalism. We will support the FAA in its investigation,” the airline stated.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the occurrence of the incident and announced that an investigation is underway. This close call has reignited discussions about the capacity and safety of Reagan National Airport.
Democratic Senator Tim Kaine highlighted the incident to criticize a recent bill passed by Congress that would allow more flights to land at Reagan National. “I’m relieved no one was hurt. But this incident underscores again that DCA is at capacity. This shows why Senate action to jam even more flights into DCA was so dangerous. The FAA must resist any new flights that compromise safety,” Kaine asserted.
The debate continues as Southwest Airlines recently applied to add nonstop flights between DCA and Las Vegas, and American Airlines made a similar application for a route to San Antonio. Alaska Airlines also applied for a nonstop route to San Diego, as reported by Aviation Week.
As the FAA investigates this incident, the focus remains on ensuring that safety protocols are strictly adhered to, especially in busy airspaces like that of Reagan National Airport.
