Another plane crash has occurred at Reagan International Airport when a taxiing jet hit a parked plane on the runway, following a mid-air collision that resulted in the deaths of 67 people a few months ago.
During the incident on Thursday, several members of Congress were on the planes that collided wings, including New York Congressman Nick LaLota, who posted an X-ray from inside one of the jets.
‘Another plane just bumped into our wing. Heading back to the gate, but thankfully everyone is ok!’ he wrote.
Congressman LaLota also shared a picture taken from his plane window, mentioning that Congresswoman Grace Meng was distributing grapes to fellow passengers during the delay.
New Jersey Congressman Josh Gottheimer also said he was involved, and the Democrat took the opportunity to criticize President Trump’s cuts to the federal government as he did so.
‘While waiting to take off on the runway at DCA just now, another plane struck our wing. Thankfully, everyone is safe,’ he wrote.
‘Just a reminder: Recent cuts to the FAA weaken our skies and public safety.’
One of the aircraft was headed to Charleston, South Carolina, and the other was on route to JFK in New York. There are no early reports of any injuries as a result of the crash.
Reagan International Airport (pictured in a stock image) has seen another plane crash after a taxiing jet struck a parked plane on the runway
Several members of Congress were on board the planes when they collided on Thursday, with New York Congressman Nick LaLota sharing an X post from inside one of the jets
A passenger on board the plane also shared a video from inside the cabin in the moments after the collision, where the pilot could be heard apologizing to passengers
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said Thursday that both planes returned to gates after the collision, and airport operations were not impacted.
American Airlines said both planes received minor damage to their winglets – the curved end of the wings – and were subsequently taken out of service for inspections.
The collision comes at a turbulent time for the US aviation industry, with January’s horror crash between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter setting off a series of accidents and near-misses.
This included seven people dying when a small plane crashed into a residential street in Pennsylvania just a week later.
Another crash in Alaska weeks later killed 10, a small plane crash off the coast of Florida killed 12, all after President Trump fired hundreds of FAA workers as part of his widespread DOGE cuts.
Trump’s cuts to the FAA were slammed by several Congressmembers after they survived the accident on Thursday.
Congressman Adriano Espaillat said in an X post as he revealed he was also on board: ‘Aviation mishaps are at an all-time high, and the Trump administration’s reckless decision to fire FAA control staff has put us all in danger. We are thankful that no one was injured and that a catastrophe was avoided.’
Punchbowl News reported that Reps. Gregory Meeks and Ritchie Torres were also on board.
American Airlines said both planes received minor damage to their winglets – the curved end of the wings – and were subsequently taken out of service for inspections, but airport operations were not disrupted
President Trump was criticized on Thursday by several members of congress who were on board the jets over his decision to fire hundreds of FAA workers, which they said has made air travel in the US less safe
Gottheimer said his plane ‘shook violently’ when it was struck by the other jet.
‘It was pretty clear that we got hit,’ he told ABC News. ‘The pilot came on and told us we weren’t going anywhere except back to the gate.’
A passenger on board the plane also shared a video from inside the cabin in the moments after the collision, where the pilot could be heard apologizing to passengers.
‘The FAA is going to come out to do some inspections, so for now we have been told to stay where we are,’ the pilot said over the intercom.
‘This is something that is going to take five minutes, or an hour, I’m sorry about this I can’t tell you right now.’
It comes months after Reagan International Airport, in Washington DC, witnessed the worst air traffic disaster in recent US history when an American Airlines plane crashed into an Army Black Haw k helicopter
It comes months after Reagan International Airport, in Washington DC, witnessed the worst air traffic disaster in recent US history when an American Airlines plane crashed into an Army Black Hawk helicopter.
That incident in January caused the deaths of all 67 people on board the two aircraft, sending shockwaves through the aviation industry.
Reagan has been plagued with repeat issues in the months since, including just weeks later when a passenger jet needed to abort a landing later to avoid another collision.
And just last week, a Delta flight also had a close call with a US Air Force jet near Reagan in what could have been an unbelievable repeat of January’s disaster.
As scrutiny falls on Reagan International Airport’s air traffic control, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed last month that two air traffic controllers got into a shocking fight inside the tower in the aftermath of the crash.
Trouble flared when pair of on-duty tower controllers got into a blazing argument before one threw a punch at the other, a source said.
By the time the brawling colleagues were separated, there was blood spattered over a control console, according to our insider.
