A U.S. passenger flight preparing to leave the nation’s capital and an incoming military jet received instructions to divert and prevent a possible collision, officials said.
Delta Air Lines Flight 2983 was cleared for takeoff at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Friday around 3:15 p.m., the same time four U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon aircraft were inbound, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.
The jets were heading for a flyover of Arlington National Cemetery when the Delta aircraft received an onboard alert of a nearby aircraft. Air traffic controllers ‘’issued corrective instructions to both aircraft,‘’ according to the FAA, which intends to investigate.
According to a recording of air traffic control communications, Delta’s pilot asked, “Was there an actual aircraft about 500 ft below us as we came off of DCA?‘’
In a recording archived by aviation site LiveATC.net, the controller responded: ‘’Delta 2983, affirmative.‘’
The Airbus A319 with 131 passengers, two pilots and three flight attendants was embarking on a regularly scheduled flight between Reagan and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, Delta Airlines said.
The flight left its gate at 2:55 p.m. and was scheduled to arrive at Minneapolis-St. Paul at 4:36 p.m. local time before the flight crew followed the diversion instructions from the controllers, the airline said.
No injuries were reported.
