A potentially catastrophic accident between a Delta Air Lines passenger airplane and a US Air Force fighter jet was narrowly avoided on Friday afternoon after the pilots of the commercial aircraft received an emergency collision avoidance alert in the cockpit.
Delta flight DL2983, operated by an Airbus A319 with seats for 132 passengers, was cleared to depart from runway 01/19 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at around 3:15 p.m. on March 28 for what should have been a routine flight to Minneapolis St Paul.
Runway 01/19, from which DL2938 departed, sends aircraft straight over the Potomac River, which is where a military Blackhawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet that was coming into land at DCA in January, tragically killing all of those onboard both aircraft.
As the Delta jet was still in its initial ascent out of DCA, an audible aircraft collision alarm, known as a TCAS alert, sounded in the cockpit.
The TCAS alert was triggered by an Air Force T-38 jet that was flying at just 800 feet in the direction of Arlington National Cemetery for a flyover, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
As well as the TCAS alert, the pilots of both aircraft received orders to take evasive actions from an air traffic controller who was in the tower at National Reagan Airport.
In a statement, the FAA said: “Delta Air Lines Flight 2983 was cleared for takeoff at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport around 3:15 p.m. local time on Friday, March 28, while four U.S. Air Force T-38 Talons were inbound to Arlington National Cemetery for a flyover.”
“The Delta aircraft received an onboard alert that another aircraft was nearby. Air traffic controllers issued corrective instructions to both aircraft.”
The potential for an accident between military aircraft and commercial jets departing and arriving at DCA has been a major concern for many years, but it wasn’t until the deadly crash between a Blackhawk helicopter and American Airlines flight AA5342 in January that action was taken to reduce the risk.
The helicopter route that was being used by the crew of the Blackhawk has been permanently closed except for limited VIP and police movements. When the route is being used, traffic at DCA is now temporarily halted.
In a three-year period up to 2024, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) discovered that there had been more than 15,000 close calls between aircraft using DCA and helicopters on Route 4, which has now been closed.
Transportation Sean Duffy has criticized the FAA under the watch of the Biden administration for not taking action sooner to reduce the risk of a collision around DCA.
When airplanes depart from Runway 01/19 at DCA, they are required to immediately turn left during the initial ascent to avoid flying into a highly restricted area or airspace known as Prohibited Area 56 or P-56 for short.
P-56 IS made up of two areas known as P-56A and P-56B. The first covers the area west of the Lincoln Memorial to the east of the Capitol and between Independence Avenue and K Street. The second covers a small circle with a radius of about one nautical mile (about 1.2 statute miles) surrounding the Naval Observatory on Massachusetts Avenue.
Convicted Felon Donald Trump is just as responsible for this mess, even MORE than Joe Biden ever was.. And his recent firing of FAA and ATC personnel, this will make air travel in the USA all the more dangerous in 2025 and beyond. #CancelMusk #CancelTRUMP #CancelTesla