A harrowing midair collision between a Delta Air Lines aircraft and a U.S. Air Force jet has been investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The delta plane near miss took place near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) on Friday, months following a deadly January crash at the same airport that killed 67 people.
A Close Call Over Arlington
Delta Air Lines Flight 2983, an Airbus A319 headed to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), was cleared to take off at approximately 3:15 p.m. local time after it departed its gate at 2:55 p.m. But as it began to climb, the plane got a frantic “onboard alert” that another aircraft was in dangerously close proximity. Air traffic controllers immediately provided corrective action to both planes, preventing what might have been a disastrous midair collision.
Meanwhile, four U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon aircraft were heading to Arlington National Cemetery on a routine flyover. One of the planes was perilously close to the Delta flight when it lost separation and generated safety alerts.
Safety Systems in Action
The Delta pilots has teacted to their traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) directives follow the standard safety protocol. Delta Airlines affirmed that pilots on their planes took the appropriate steps to safeguard passengers and staff.
“Nothing is more valuable than the safety of our customers and employees,” said a Delta spokesperson. “That’s why the flight crew executed procedures to fly the plane as directed.”
The plane carried 131 passengers, two pilots, and three flight attendants. Disaster was averted due to the quick response of the crew and air traffic control’s intervention.
FAA and NTSB Investigations Underway
The FAA is looking into the close call of the delta plane intensively. An official investigation has not been started yet, but authorities are gathering all the facts to know what happened and ensure that such cases do not repeat in the future.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recognized the accident and validated knowledge of the loss of separation. “We are gathering information, but have not yet initiated an investigation,” an NTSB spokesperson explained to Fox News Digital.
A Troubling Pattern of Aviation Incidents
This delta plane near miss is the most recent in a string of aviation safety issues in the United States. The January crash at Reagan National Airport killing 67 persons is still fresh in memory, rekindling fears regarding air traffic control coordination and aviation safety protocols.
Proximity of a passenger plane to an air force fighter jet during ceremonial flypasts has raised suspicion about airspace regulation. Experts think that improved collaboration between civilian air traffic and air forces can reduce such close encounters.
Passenger Reactions and Safety Concerns
Passengers on Delta Flight 2983 were kept in the dark about the near collision until subsequent reports came out. Most breathed a sigh of relief that the flight completed its route safely to its destination. But the close call has generated debate on possible air traffic control system upgrades and pilot training.
What’s Next?
The findings of the FAA will spell out whether more action is required to improve flight safety. Areas in focus will most likely involve studying communications between controllers, response times for aircrews, and whether protocols in place require change.
In the meantime, the aviation community focuses on ensuring that today’s air traffic management is treated with the strongest safety nets to prevent such occurrences. The near-miss is a sobering reminder of the intricacies of handling air traffic today.
With investigations ongoing, the delta plane near miss underscores the airline industry’s devotion to placing priority on the safety of passengers and crew, with such incidents becoming the exception and not the norm, never materializing into disasters.
