Six members of Congress — including four from New York City — were aboard a plane headed to JFK Airport on Monday when it was struck by another aircraft while taxiing at Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan National Airport, federal officials confirmed.
The incident occurred around 12:45 p.m. as American Airlines Flight 4522 was preparing for departure to New York. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane was clipped by the wingtip of a separate aircraft, American Airlines Flight 5490, which was bound for Charleston, South Carolina.
No injuries were reported.
Among those aboard the JFK-bound flight were Queens U.S. Reps. Grace Meng and Gregory Meeks, Bronx U.S. Reps. Ritchie Torres and Adriano Espaillat, New Jersey Rep. Josh Gottheimer, and Long Island Rep. Nick LaLota. The lawmakers were returning home for the congressional Easter and Passover recess.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said airport operations were briefly delayed following the incident, which occurred near the site of a deadly crash in January that killed 67 people.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Meng reassured constituents that everyone was safe.
While waiting on the runway to fly out of DC today, another plane clipped the wing of the plane my colleagues and I were on. Fortunately, everyone is okay & we’re heading back to New York soon. Thank you to all who reached out with your concerns! pic.twitter.com/MAbN2E4dcW
— Grace Meng (@RepGraceMeng) April 10, 2025
In a separate statement, Meng expressed relief that no injuries occurred but emphasized the need for stronger aviation safety oversight.
“I’m grateful no one was hurt today, but this incident underscores the urgent need to restore all FAA jobs that keep our runways safe,” said Meng.
Meeks, who was also aboard the plane, echoed those concerns and called for federal oversight in response to the incident.
“This unsettling event is a clear reminder of the dangerous effects of the Trump Administration’s DOGE-era cuts to the Federal Aviation Administration,” Meeks said in a statement. “Undermining the agency’s staffing and operational capacity jeopardizes the safety of the flying public and the integrity of our air traffic systems.”
Meeks added that he plans to push for congressional action. “I will be calling on my colleagues in the relevant House Committees to hold a hearing to thoroughly investigate this incident and restore confidence in our air traffic safety.”
The FAA has launched an investigation into the incident.
