A miscommunication regarding the timing of a military flyover in March nearly caused a serious mid-air incident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has found.
Miscommunication The near-miss involved a formation of four U.S. Air Force T-38 trainer jets and a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319, which was cleared for takeoff at the same time the jets were preparing to fly over nearby Arlington National Cemetery. The event took place on March 28 and stemmed from confusion between two air traffic control teams overseeing different parts of the airspace.
Miscommunication CNN was the first to report on the incident, which raised fresh concerns about air traffic safety at one of the country’s busiest airports.
Flyover Timing Change Sparked Confusion
However, departures from Reagan National Airport were under the direction of the airport’s own control tower.
According to air traffic control audio reviewed by the NTSB and provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a tower controller acknowledged the incoming jets and said they were waiting for a “stop the departures” time.
TRACON responded that the flyover “target” time was 3:21 p.m., and that departure operations should be halted by 3:17 p.m. If any changes were made, TRACON said, they would notify the tower.
But a key shift occurred just minutes later.
Sudden Timing Shift Leads to Close Call
At 3:02 p.m., shortly after a routine shift change at TRACON, the T-38 pilots requested to adjust their flyover time. The TRACON controller approved a new target time of 3:15 p.m.
At exactly 3:15 p.m., the Delta jet began accelerating down the runway. Just 22 seconds later, TRACON called the tower and urgently asked why planes were still being allowed to depart.
By then, it was too late to stop the Delta flight from taking off. Controllers quickly alerted the military pilots, warning them to watch for the departing aircraft and avoid any potential conflict.
A Troubling Pattern at Reagan National
This close call is just the latest in a series of safety concerns at Reagan National.
In the March incident, the preliminary NTSB report noted a staffing shortage at the control tower. The tower’s operations supervisor had already ended their shift by the time of the incident, leaving a single controller in charge to provide general oversight.
The NTSB has not assigned blame or determined the root cause of the event, which will be addressed in the agency’s final report, typically released 12 to 18 months after an incident.
FAA Under Scrutiny
The FAA has faced growing criticism from lawmakers over air traffic control staffing shortages across the country. This incident has further amplified those concerns, especially in light of the confusion that led to a potentially dangerous situation in the nation’s capital.
As the investigation continues, the close call serves as a stark reminder of the vital role that clear communication and adequate staffing play in keeping U.S. airspace safe.