A potential collision between a Delta Air Lines passenger flight and U.S. Air Force jets was averted Friday afternoon at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport through quick action by air traffic controllers.
Delta Flight 2983, an Airbus A319 carrying 131 passengers and five crew members, was cleared for takeoff around 3:15 p.m. At the same time, four U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon aircraft were approaching the airport airspace en route to conduct a flyover at Arlington National Cemetery.
The Delta aircraft's warning systems detected a nearby aircraft during takeoff. According to air traffic control recordings, the Delta pilot reported detecting an aircraft approximately 500 feet below their position as they departed Reagan National.
Controllers immediately issued emergency diversion instructions to both the commercial flight and military aircraft to maintain safe separation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident.
The Delta flight, scheduled to operate between Washington D.C. and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, had departed its gate at 2:55 p.m. The flight crew promptly followed the controllers' instructions to alter course. No injuries were reported during the incident.
The T-38 Talon jets involved are high-altitude supersonic trainer aircraft used by various departments including NASA and the Air Force for pilot training and other missions.
This close call comes just two months after a tragic midair collision above Reagan National between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter that claimed 67 lives when both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River.