A commercial jet carrying multiple members of Congress was involved in a minor collision on the ground Thursday at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The incident occurred around 12:45 p.m. when an American Airlines flight bound for New York's JFK Airport was clipped by another American Eagle aircraft — a Bombardier CRJ900 headed to Charleston, South Carolina — as both planes were taxiing at DCA, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
"American Eagle flight 5490, operated by PSA Airlines, made contact on a DCA taxiway with American Eagle flight 4522, operated by Republic Airways. Safety is our top priority, and we apologize to our customers for their experience," an American Airlines spokesperson said in a statement to The New York Post. A federal investigation has been launched. There were no reports of any injuries in the incident.
Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, was among the passengers on board the JFK-bound flight. "Serving in Congress has come with some once in a lifetime experiences ... like just now while stationary on the runway at DCA, another plane just bumped into our wing," LaLota posted to social media. "Heading back to the gate, but thankfully everyone is ok!"
LaLota noted that Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), also on the House Appropriations Committee, was on the same flight. "(And @RepGraceMeng is handing out grapes!)" he added.
Also aboard the flight were several other members of Congress: Reps. Adriano Espaillat, Ritchie Torres, and Gregory Meeks of New York, and Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ). The lawmakers were reportedly departing Washington at the start of a two-week recess for Passover and Easter.
The FAA confirmed it would investigate the cause of the collision. A spokesperson for Reagan National said no injuries were reported and all other flights at the airport remained on schedule.
In the aftermath of the incident, some lawmakers used the event to highlight ongoing concerns regarding aviation safety and recent staffing cuts at the FAA.
"While waiting to take off on the runway at DCA just now, another plane struck our wing. Thankfully, everyone is safe," Rep. Gottheimer posted to X. "Recent cuts to the FAA weaken our skies and public safety."
Meng echoed similar concerns, pointing to longstanding issues at the agency. "Glad my colleagues and I are okay! We are safely waiting on the tarmac, but we may need more snacks," she wrote. "I'm grateful no one was hurt today, but this incident underscores this urgent need restore all FAA jobs that keep our runways safe."
Reagan National, known for its busy and tightly restricted airspace, has seen a string of troubling incidents in recent months.
The airport was the site of a deadly January collision involving an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter — the deadliest aviation disaster on American soil since 2001. That tragedy spurred reforms, including changes to flight paths, but experts say the airspace remains among the most complex in the country.
Just days before Thursday's incident, a Delta Airlines jet carrying 136 passengers nearly collided with a group of military jets during takeoff. And a day later, a United Airlines flight struck a kite during landing — a near-miss that could have proved catastrophic had the object been ingested by the plane's engine.
