A Delta Air Lines flight preparing to depart from Ronald Reagan National Airport, near Washington DC, encountered a close call with an incoming military jet on Friday afternoon, prompting both aircraft to divert their paths to avoid a potential collision, news agency AP reported citing officials.
Delta Flight 2983, an Airbus A319 with 131 passengers, was cleared for takeoff at around 3:15 pm. At the same time, four US Air Force T-38 Talon jets were inbound for a scheduled flyover of Arlington National Cemetery.
The Delta flight received an onboard warning about a nearby aircraft, leading air traffic controllers to issue diversion instructions to both the commercial flight and the military jets. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the incident and stated it would investigate the matter further.
The Delta flight, heading to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport had already departed the gate at 2:55 pm and was scheduled to land at 4:36 pm local time before following the diversion instructions. However, no injuries were reported.
The T-38 Talon jets involved are described by the Air Force as supersonic, high-altitude, twin-engine aircraft primarily used for pilot training and various other missions, including those with NASA.
(With Inputs From AP)
