Aircraft Carrying Members Of Congress Clipped By Another Plane

Multiple members of Congress experienced a frightening incident on Thursday when their plane was clipped by another aircraft on the ground at Reagan National Airport in the Washington, D.C., area.

Lawmakers posted about their experience on X, stressing that people on board their flight were unharmed.

“Serving in Congress has come with some once in a lifetime experiences… like just now while stationary on the runway at DCA, another plane just bumped into our wing. Heading back to the gate, but thankfully everyone is ok!” Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY) said on X.

Serving in Congress has come with some once in a lifetime experiences… like just now while stationary on the runway at DCA, another plane just bumped into our wing. Heading back to the gate, but thankfully everyone is ok! (And ⁦@RepGraceMeng⁩ is handing out grapes!) pic.twitter.com/bOo1JNXZDh

— Congressman Nick LaLota (@RepLaLota) April 10, 2025

He also noted that Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY) was handing out grapes to people on board their plane.

“Glad my colleagues and I are okay! We are safely waiting on the tarmac, but we may need more snacks,” Grace responded. “I’m grateful no one was hurt today, but this incident underscores [the] urgent need [to] restore all FAA jobs that keep our runways safe.”

Meng later posted a video showing what she said were crews fixing the wing on their plane.

“Fortunately, everyone is okay & we’re heading back to New York soon. Thank you to all who reached out with your concerns!” she added in the post.

While waiting on the runway to fly out of DC today, another plane clipped the wing of the plane my colleagues and I were on. Fortunately, everyone is okay & we're heading back to New York soon. Thank you to all who reached out with your concerns! pic.twitter.com/MAbN2E4dcW

— Grace Meng (@RepGraceMeng) April 10, 2025

In a statement announcing “preliminary” information, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the wingtip of American Airlines Flight 5490 “struck” American Airlines Flight 4522 on a taxiway at Reagan National Airport around 12:45 p.m. local time.

“Flight 5490, a Bombardier CRJ 900, was headed to Charleston International Airport in South Carolina. Flight 4522, an Embraer E175, was headed to JFK International Airport in New York. The FAA will investigate,” the agency added.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority confirmed that no one was hurt, noted that both planes returned to gates, and stated that airport operations were not impacted, according to ABC News.

American Airlines said “the damage was limited to a winglet on each aircraft” and the planes “have been taken out of service to be inspected,” per the same news outlet. “Safety is our top priority, and we apologize to our customers for their experience.”

Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) shared that seven members of Congress, including himself, were on board the plane that was clipped, along with dozens of other passengers.

The scare comes a couple months after a mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk Helicopter near Reagan National Airport that killed 67 people aboard the aircraft.