On Tuesday morning, two near-collisions at Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport and Chicago’s Midway International Airport prompted emergency maneuvers by pilots of American Airlines Flight 2246 and Southwest Airlines Flight 2504. At National Airport, Flight 2246 aborted its landing to avoid a departing aircraft, and at Midway, Flight 2504 canceled its approach due to an unauthorized business jet on the runway. Concerns about airspace safety have intensified following last month’s deadly midair crash near National Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration is under scrutiny amid recent incidents and ongoing investigations, while efforts to reform air traffic control systems are underway.
On Tuesday morning, within 90 minutes, two aircraft at Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport and Chicago’s Midway International Airport were compelled to abort their landings to avert collisions, federal aviation officials reported.
American Airlines Flight 2246, arriving from Boston, was on its final approach around 8:20 a.m. when it abruptly aborted its landing, climbed back into the sky, and sped away from the airport. This last-minute maneuver allowed it to avoid colliding with another plane that was preparing to take off from the same runway, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The aircraft’s pilots were instructed to cancel the landing by an air traffic controller to “ensure separation was maintained between this aircraft and a preceding departure from the same runway,” the F.A.A. stated.
At approximately 8:50 a.m. Central time, the crew of Southwest Airlines Flight 2504, en route from Omaha, aborted their landing at Chicago Midway after “a business jet entered the runway without authorization,” the F.A.A. reported.
These near misses on Tuesday morning have heightened concerns about the safety of the nation’s airspace, particularly following last month’s tragic midair collision outside National Airport. On January 29, American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter above the Potomac River, resulting in the deaths of all 67 individuals aboard both aircraft.
The cause of the January 29 crash remains under investigation.
Passenger Itai Vardi, who was on American Airlines Flight 2246, expressed anxiety about his flight into National Airport due to the recent incident.
Mr. Vardi, a Boston resident, felt a sense of relief when his flight seemed less than a minute away from landing, observing the aircraft’s descent from his window seat.
Suddenly, he said, the plane executed a sharp climb, leaving him overwhelmed with fear, wondering what was unfolding and how it would conclude.
“Given the recent crash, I was on high alert for helicopters, and then this happened out of nowhere,” Mr. Vardi recounted in an interview. “It wasn’t gradual at all. It felt like the pilot had to make an emergency maneuver.”
The aircraft ultimately landed safely at National Airport without any injuries reported.
American Airlines has not yet responded to requests for comments regarding the incident.
The National Transportation Safety Board is currently investigating the Chicago Midway incident.
In a statement confirming the event, Southwest Airlines noted that “the crew adhered to safety protocols and the flight landed without incident.”
The F.A.A. has faced various near misses and fatal crashes this year as it navigates through significant restructuring. Approximately 400 employees were recently laid off as part of a federal government overhaul under President Trump, though air traffic controllers were exempt from layoffs.
The collision at National Airport last month represents the deadliest crash in the U.S. since a Colgan Air flight went down near Buffalo in 2009. Compounding the F.A.A.’s challenges were two other fatal incidents in Philadelphia and Alaska that occurred within 10 days of the Washington crash.
This recent series of aviation-related issues has drawn the attention of the Trump administration, which is committed to reforming the F.A.A.’s air traffic control systems. Mr. Trump has previously indicated plans to discuss legislative changes aimed at revamping the nation’s aviation safety framework.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has enlisted Elon Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX, along with Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency to assist in this endeavor. SpaceX personnel have already visited the F.A.A.’s air traffic command center in Virginia.