Near Collision Incident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport: Air Traffic Controllers Prevent Jets from Colliding

2024-04-19 12:05:10

Air traffic controllers in Virginia stopped two jets colliding after they were cleared to take off from the same runway.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it is now looking into the incident, which happened at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

“An air traffic controller instructed Southwest Airlines Flight 2937 to cross Runway 4 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport while JetBlue Flight 1554 was beginning its takeoff roll on the same runway,” the FAA said in a statement provided by PEOPLE was seen.

“The event occurred on Thursday, April 18, at approximately 7:41 a.m. local time. The FAA will investigate.”

An airplane taking off from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

According to CNN, air traffic controllers had to radio each plane to stop. Audio recordings detail controllers asking the Boston-bound JetBlue flight to halt takeoff as the Southwest Airlines plane — bound for Orlando — skidded over the runway before it began taxiing.

“JetBlue 1554 is stopping! 1554 stop!” the tower controller said, according to the outlet, as the ground controller ordered the Southwest Airlines flight to stop its taxi.

The Southwest pilot replied: “We have stopped. We were cleared to cross runway 4,” says CNN.

A JetBlue plane taking off.
JetBlue

The two planes stopped about 300 feet apart, reports said CBS Newswhich cited flight data showing that the Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-Max 8 was stopped before reaching the runway, while the JetBlue Embraer 190 reached a speed of 35 mph.

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JetBlue confirmed to CNN that the plane was inspected following the incident and later safely departed the airport after initially “aborting takeoff due to another aircraft attempting to cross the runway.”

PEOPLE has reached out to JetBlue and Southwest Airlines for comment.

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