On March 28, 2025, a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 came close to a collision with a U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon airplane over Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The incident was at around 3:15 p.m. local time as Delta Flight 2983 took off from DCA and was headed towards Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
At the same time, four T-38 Talon aircraft were approaching for a ceremonial flyover at Arlington National Cemetery. As the Delta plane climbed over the Potomac River, it was alerted on board to the presence of another aircraft. Air traffic controllers quickly issued corrective commands to both the commercial and military pilots, preventing a disaster.
There were 131 customers, two crew members, and three flight crew members aboard the Delta flight. The company reassured the public in the wake of the incident that prioritizing safety was their top concern, stating, “The safety of our customers and staff is our highest priority. This is why the flight crew adhered to established procedures to manage the aircraft as directed.”
This close call has again brought concerns over the safety of airspace in the Washington, D.C. region, particularly in the context of a recent fatal mid-air collision just two months earlier. On January 29, 2025, an American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 crashed into a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter just outside of DCA, killing all 67 people on both flights.
After last week’s near-miss, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation to determine why the close call occurred and to assess current air traffic control practices. The FAA had previously placed restrictions on non-essential helicopter traffic around DCA following the January crash.
Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar was shocked by the incident and wrote, “Unbelievably dangerous and thank God people are safe.” She plans to question the Department of Defense as to how close military aircraft were to commercial airspace and why there wasn’t a more effective safety procedure.
Aviation officials note that airspace over Washington, D.C., is the nation’s most advanced and congested airspace and needs to be closely coordinated in terms of military and civilian aircraft movement. The recent accidents underline the critical necessity of strict communication and adherence to safety protocols in an effort to prevent future calamities.
As the investigation by the FAA continues, results are likely to guide possible modification of flight patterns and airspace handling to improve security for commercial as well as military aviation in the area.
