An incident involving an American Eagle jet scheduled to depart from Washington, D.C. to New York resulted in a wing collision with another aircraft on the runway at Ronald Reagan National Airport. The aircraft, which included at least seven members of Congress, faced no reported injuries. Both planes safely returned to the terminal for inspection, as stated by American Airlines.
The aircraft involved were American Eagle flight 5490, operated by PSA Airlines and bound for Charleston International Airport in South Carolina, and flight 4522 operated by Republic Airways, heading to JFK International Airport in New York with congressional members aboard. The collision occurred when the wingtip of Flight 5490 struck Flight 4522 at approximately 12:45 p.m. local time.
American Airlines reported that 67 passengers were on the Charleston-bound flight, while 76 passengers, including Democratic Representatives Gregory Meeks, Grace Meng, Josh Gottheimer, Adriano Espaillat, Ritchie Torres, and Republican Nick LaLota, were on the New York flight. Representative Meeks confirmed that a total of seven congressional members were on board.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The Trump administration has clarified that the incident was unrelated to any staffing reductions or shortages at the FAA, noting that there have been no cuts to air traffic control positions. This statement followed Democratic Representative Gottheimer’s remarks concerning FAA safety and public safety cuts, pertinent to which the White House reiterated its position. It was noted that, under the Trump administration, “less than 400” air traffic controllers were terminated, a number that was somewhat rectified through rehiring efforts, though staffing deficits persist.
Recently, Tim Arel, head of the FAA’s air traffic organization, resigned after participating in the administration’s voluntary deferred retirement program. According to Reuters, the FAA faces a shortfall of approximately 3,500 air traffic controllers relative to its staffing targets.
Additionally, a fatal accident two months prior near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport involved a commercial airliner colliding with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River, adding to a series of accidents and near-misses during the early months of the Trump administration.
