The Federal Aviation Administration and American Airlines confirmed that a flight aborted its landing Saturday afternoon at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, because another plane was on the runway as it was nearing a landing on Runway 19.
American Flight 4431 from Buffalo was over Gravelly Point at about 340 feet, when air traffic controllers waived off the landing because another aircraft was still on the runway and they determined the separation was too tight.
“The crew of American Airlines Flight 4431 initiated a go-around at Reagan Washington National Airport due to an unstable approach and a preceding departure that was slow to take off. An air traffic controller alerted the American crew about the preceding departure and the required separation was maintained,” the FAA said in a statement to WTOP.
American Airlines also said flight 4431 was able to land safely after the go-around, which they said “is not an abnormal flight maneuver.”
It is not clear where the other departing jet was on the runway at the time flight 4431 was waived off. The flight did a go-around, circled back and landed safely about 10 minutes later.
“It’s a tool in both the pilot’s and air traffic controller’s toolbox to help maintain safe and efficient flight operations,” the airline said regarding go-arounds.
Aviation safety analyst Jeff Guzzetti is a former investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA. He said the crew apparently had to make too many adjustments to land safely.
“A stabilized approach, in airline speak, means that you are at the appropriate speed and the altitude, and you’re not having to make significant adjustments,” Guzzetti told WTOP. “Then you add to that this question of not providing enough separation because another airplane was about ready to take off from the same runway. Well, that’s another reason why, apparently, this go-around order was issued.”
Since the Jan. 29 midair collision involving an Army Black Hawk helicopter and another American Airlines regional jet, there have been several other high-profile incidents at Reagan National that have raised concerns about safety.
On Monday, the Army said it was suspending helicopter flights around the airport, The Associated Press reported. This comes after an incident last week when a military helicopter that was flying close to Reagan National was instructed by air traffic controllers to perform a go-around to avoid two Delta Air Lines flights that were attempting to land.
The Pentagon said its decision will impact helicopter operations that move high-ranking government officials around during a potential emergency situation.
Also, on March 28, a near miss incident occurred near Reagan National Airport involving a Delta Air Lines passenger plane and a formation of Air Force T-38 jets scheduled for a ceremonial flyover over Arlington National Cemetery, and the aircraft were safely separated before a potential collision.
Since the deadly January crash, the FAA has enacted stricter flight restrictions for both military and civilian helicopters flying around Reagan, moving those routes further away from the airport. The January collision was the deadliest in the U.S. since 2001.
In its preliminary report into the cause of the January crash, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said helicopter flight patterns around Reagan National were “an intolerable risk,” as helicopters and commercial planes operate close to each other in the airspace near the airport.
Guzzetti said this incident and others once again show there is little room for error near Reagan National Airport.
“National Airport is a challenge to get airplanes safely separated during busy periods, and I think this is just another example of that,” he said.
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