Plane carrying U.S. House members clipped by aircraft at Reagan National Airport
A plane carrying several U.S. House Representatives was clipped by another aircraft on the taxiway at Reagan National Airport, though no injuries were reported
A plane carrying multiple U.S. House members was clipped by another aircraft on the ground at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., on Thursday.
The incident, which occurred around 12:45 p.m., did not result in any injuries, but it raised concerns about aviation safety, coming just two and a half months after a fatal midair collision at the same airport.
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Plane crash at Reagan National Airport
On Thursday, an American Airlines plane, carrying U.S. House members, was clipped by another aircraft while on the runway at Reagan National Airport (DCA). The planes involved in the accident were an American Eagle flight 5490, which was preparing to take off for Charleston, South Carolina, and American Eagle flight 4522, bound for New York City’s JFK Airport.
Among the representatives in the flight were:
- Gregory Meeks
- Nick LaLota
- Grace Meng
- Josh Gottheimer
- Adriano Espaillat
- Ritchie Torres
Officials have confirmed that there were no injuries in the incident.
Members of Congress react to the Reagan Airport collision
Representative Josh Gottheimer took to social media to remind everyone that today's accident is a direct consequence of the recent cuts to the FAA.
Representative Gregory Meeks, also commented on the FAA cuts, but he also said that there were 7 representatives on the flight. However, the seventh member has not been identified and Meeks' office has not answered who is it.
Representative Adriano Espaillat, also confirmed he was on the plane. And while he stated that everyone was okay, he called Trump's administration decision to fire FAA control staff "reckless".
Representative Nick LaLota, took a more light-hearted approach, saying that being a congressman gives him some unique experiences, including being on an aircraft while other plane bumped into the wing. He also confirmed Rep. Grace Meng was in the flight.
Representative Grace Meng also shared that she was okay, but she reminded everyone of the importance of restoring all FAA jobs. She even took the time to film a video after the incident to thank everyone for their concerns.
Representative Ritchie Torres, also shared he was okay, and the only inconvenience was a delayed departure.