This was National Airlines’ second near miss in six weeks. On April 18, air traffic controllers instructed a Southwest Airlines pilot to cross the runway of an incoming JetBlue flight, according to the FAA.
The incidents have raised concerns among critics of recent bipartisan aviation legislation that would increase the number of flights at National.
Virginia senators argued that the April incident was a “warning light that this airport is overburdened” and said adding five round trips later this year “endangers the safety of the 25 million people who travel through DCA each year.”
Following Wednesday’s incident, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) expressed relief that no one was injured in a social media post, but said it “shows why the move to pack more flights into DCA has been so dangerous. The FAA must resist any new flights that compromise safety.”
The agency did not respond to questions about whether the two accidents indicate broader safety concerns at the airport or whether new aviation laws could make safety problems even worse.
The FAA said serious runway incursions are rare. The ministry reported that efforts to improve technology, coordination and training have resulted in a 33% drop in infections nationwide compared to last year.
“Air travel is the safest form of travel because we never take anything for granted,” the agency said in a statement.
The FAA is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, which said earlier this month that the FAA’s top priority is keeping the airport operating safely “regardless of the number of flights at DCA.”
American Airlines Flight 2134 was accelerating to 89 knots per hour on Wednesday as the Hawker Beechcraft turboprop was preparing to land, according to data from ADS-B Exchange, an aircraft position-tracking platform. The American Airlines plane was slowing rapidly when the smaller aircraft was directly in front of the passenger jet at the intersection of the two runways, the data showed.
The exact circumstances, including why the U.S. military plane was allowed to take off, are among the questions investigators are asking.
In a statement, American Airlines said it “thanks the flight attendant for his professionalism.”
After the incident, an American Airlines crew member radioed air traffic control, asking for clarity on what to do next, according to the recording. LiveATC.net.
“I need a place to sit after my failed takeoff,” he said. “I have to figure out what to do here.”