Two planes, one at Ronald Reagan National Airport and another at Chicago’s Midway International Airport, were forced to abort landings on Tuesday morning due to close calls with other aircraft. The incidents are part of a growing concern over air traffic control safety, following last month’s deadly midair crash outside the Washington airport that killed 67 people.
According to federal aviation officials, American Airlines Flight 2246 was instructed by an air traffic controller to cancel its landing at National Airport after another plane was ready to take off from the same runway. The pilots quickly climbed away and landed safely without incident.
Separately, Southwest Airlines Flight 2504 was forced to abort its landing in Chicago after a business jet entered the runway without authorization. The pilots followed safety procedures and landed the plane without issue.
The recent string of aviation incidents has raised concerns over air traffic control systems. Last month’s crash outside National Airport was the deadliest since a Colgan Air flight went down near Buffalo in 2009. The Trump administration has vowed to overhaul the FAA’s air traffic control systems, with SpaceX employees already involved in the effort.
With multiple fatalities and near misses reported in recent months, lawmakers are likely to focus on aviation safety as part of their legislative agenda. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating both incidents, while the FAA continues to work towards improving its air traffic control systems.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/25/us/politics/planes-near-miss-crash-washington-chicago.html