American Airlines Flight Aborts Takeoff at Reagan National to Avoid Collision

An American Airlines flight en route to Boston had to abruptly abort its takeoff at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday morning to avoid an incoming aircraft. This marks the second incident of this nature at the Washington, D.C. airport within the last six weeks, raising concerns about air traffic control practices.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is currently investigating the incident. According to the FAA, an air traffic controller canceled the takeoff clearance for American Airlines Flight 2134 as another plane was simultaneously cleared to land on an intersecting runway. LiveATC.net audio captured the critical moment, with the controller instructing, “American 2134, cancel takeoff clearance,” followed by the pilot’s response, “Rejecting the takeoff 2134.”

American Airlines, in a statement, emphasized that “the safety of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we’re grateful to our crew for their professionalism.” The airline also confirmed its cooperation with the FAA to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Despite the initial disruption, the flight did eventually continue to Boston, albeit arriving four hours behind schedule as reported by FlightAware.

This incident occurred in the context of multiple safety concerns across the airline industry, particularly highlighted by a series of incidents over the Memorial Day weekend, a time of high travel volume. In mid-April, the FAA had already begun an investigation following another close call at Reagan National, where two jetliners almost collided during departure, urgently halted by air traffic control.

While ongoing investigations seek to address and mitigate these safety issues, aviation experts continue to affirm that commercial air travel remains among the safest transportation methods available in the U.S.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, edition.cnn.com