2 Planes Bump Wings At D.C.’s Reagan National Airport | EUROtoday

At least six members of Congress have been aboard a passenger jet whose wing was clipped by one other airplane because it awaited takeoff at D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Reps. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) and Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) all shared on social media that they have been on board the flight that bought side-swiped. Meng informed The New York Times that Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.) was additionally aboard, and Meeks indicated there was yet another member of Congress seated.

In a video publish, Meng stated everybody was secure.

“Hi everyone, I’m OK. Everyone on the flight is OK. They’re fixing the wing now. Everyone’s safe,” Meng stated.

“While waiting to take off on the runway at DCA just now, another plane struck our wing. Thankfully, everyone is safe. Just a reminder: Recent cuts to the FAA weaken our skies and public safety,” Gottheimer wrote, noting that the Trump administration fired a whole bunch of Federal Aviation Administration staff in February.

Meng echoed that in one other publish, saying: “I’m grateful no one was hurt today, but this incident underscores this urgent need restore all FAA jobs that keep our runways safe.”

Meeks made the same plea in his publish, saying the “close call underscores the urgent need for more FAA funding—people’s lives are at stake.”

LaLota shared a lighthearted replace.

“Serving in Congress has come with some once in a lifetime experiences…” he wrote, including that on the upside, Meng was “handing out grapes!”

The FAA confirmed in an announcement that the wingtip of American Airlines Flight 5490, which was sure for Charleston, South Carolina, struck American Airlines Flight 4522, which was sure for New York, on the runway simply earlier than 1 p.m. native time.

Air visitors management audio captured on LiveATC.internet confirmed the pilot of the Charleston-bound flight saying: “We just heard a loud, like a boom, like a thunk, before we took the runway.”

Reagan National Airport was the location of a mid-air collision between a passenger jet and a helicopter in January, killing all 67 individuals aboard each plane.