United aware of reports kite struck plane landing at Reagan National
ARLINGTON, Va. (WDCW) — A kite reportedly made contact with a United Airlines flight Saturday as the plane was approaching Reagan National Airport (DCA), the airline said.
In a statement to Nexstar's WDCW, United Airlines said it is aware of reports that a kite struck United Flight 654, which departed from Houston for Washington, D.C.
However, the airline added that 'the aircraft landed safely, customers deplaned normally and upon inspection, there was no damage to the aircraft.'
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA), whose police department patrols Reagan National (DCA) and Dulles International airports, said that its officers had responded to reports of kite-flying that day at Gravelly Point.
FAA reports near-miss at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport involving Delta plane, Air Force Talon
Gravelly Point, a park across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., is just a few hundred feet away from the north end of DCA's runway. People are not allowed to fly kites there because of 'the danger of low-flying aircraft,' according to the MWAA.
Upon responding to the park, the airport's authority said officers briefly confiscated a kite flying in the restricted air space.
'That kite was returned to its owner shortly later and no charges were filed,' said Emily McGee, a spokesperson for the MWAA.
Officers also warned people about flying kites in the area.
Across the Potomac on the National Mall, National Cherry Blossom Festival organizers held the annual Blossom Kite Festival on Saturday to celebrate cherry blossom season. According to organizers, the kite festival was unrelated to the kite-flying activity at Gravelly Point.
The reported incident comes just two months after an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided above the Potomac River near DCA, killing 67 people.
On Friday, a Delta Air Lines Flight preparing to leave Ronald Reagan and an incoming military jet received instructions to divert and prevent a possible collision, officials said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Yahoo
NY community 'heartbroken' by loss of father and daughter who died hiking in Maine
The Ulster County community is mourning the loss of a father and daughter from Ulster Park who were found dead on a mountain in Maine, where they had gone hiking on June 1. They were identified by authorities as Tim Keiderling, 58, and his daughter, Esther Keiderling, 28. USA Today reported the father and daughter were last seen leaving their campground in Baxter State Park, on their way to the summit of Mount Katahdin, around 10 a.m. June 1. Mount Katahdin, the highest mountain in Maine, is located within the park. A search and rescue mission for the Keiderlings began on June 2, after their car was spotted in the mountain's day-use parking lot. Found guilty: Monticello man convicted of predatory sexual assault against a child Park rangers, K-9 crews, game wardens and the Maine Forest Service were involved in the extensive ground and air search. The Maine National Guard used two helicopters, a Blackhawk and a Lakota, in the search. A Marine Warden K-9 search team found Tim Keiderling's body near the summit around 2:45 p.m. June 3, according to the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Esther's body was found around 1 p.m. June 4 in a wooded area of Katahdin's Tableland, according to Baxter State Park officials. Their deaths are being mourned on social media by many who knew them. "All of us at the Town of Esopus are heartbroken by the loss of Tim and Esther Keiderling," the town said in a Facebook post. "They were a cherished part of our community and we grieve alongside their family and our friends at the Bruderhof." "Through their work on our Parks and Recreation Committee, Tim and Esther brought joy to so many," the Esopus Facebook post continued. "Their warmth, kindness and dedication were unmatched and will be deeply missed." "We will continue to honor their memory by serving our community with the same spirit of dedication and generosity they shared with us," the Esopus post concluded. Heinrich Arnold of the Bruderhof Communities said in a Facebook post that the community is "grateful for the outpouring of prayers and support." Three dead: Goshen community mourns loss of father, two sons in 'devastating' house fire "This afternoon we heard the anticipated — but nonetheless deeply painful — news that the search team on Katahdin Mountain in Maine found Esther, who also succumbed to exposure near where Tim was discovered," Arnold said in his Facebook post. "This is a heartbreaking tragedy, difficult to fully grasp," Arnold continued. "Both were taken from us far too soon, and we are all left asking: 'Why?' Only God knows the answer. One comfort to the family is that Tim and Esther were doing something they both were passionate about: being near to God, surrounded by expansive views and visions, immersed in nature, in the raw and wild beauty of creation." "We will face this tragic loss together, with tears and also with faith in Jesus and the resurrection," Arnold's post concluded. The Keiderlings also were being mourned at Rifton, a company that makes adaptive equipment for people with disabilities, where they both worked. Tim Keiderling worked for Rifton as a sales and customer service representative since Sept. 2020 and Esther Keiderling joined the company in 2023, and worked as a product trainer and educator. "Tim presented hundreds of in-service and product trainings to customers all over the United States," Rifton said in a Facebook post. "Esther joined him on some of these. Anyone who attended one of these sessions can't help but remember Tim's lively presence and the joy and fulfillment both he and Esther found in helping all of you serve the children and adults in your care." "Thank you for your concern for their family and your prayers in these difficult days," the Rifton post concluded. Mike Randall covers breaking news for the Times Herald-Record and the Poughkeepsie Journal. Reach him at mrandall@ This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Father, daughter found dead on Mount Katahdin 'brought joy to so many'
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Yahoo
Facing 16 lawsuits for Toronto Pearson airport crash, Delta deflects blame
Delta Air Lines denies it's entirely at fault for injuries sustained in the Feb. 17 upside-down crash at Toronto Pearson International Airport, according to a U.S. court filing reviewed by CBC News. The fiery landing — on Delta Flight 4819, operated by its subsidiary, Endeavor Air — sent 21 of the 80 people on board to hospital. The incident has prompted passengers to file at least 16 separate lawsuits in U.S. federal court, seeking unspecified damages. At least 16 Canadians, who were among the 80 people on the flight, allege in lawsuits they were injured in the crash, which took off from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport. The Canadians' civil cases were all filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota. "Plaintiffs claim that these injuries and losses are Delta's and Endeavor's fault, and not the fault of any other party," the companies' attorney Michael G. McQuillen wrote in a filing last month. "Defendants deny these allegations." McQuillen said further lawsuits could be filed in the case, with "the potential for more than 70 plaintiffs." The filing, dated May 22, sought to consolidate all the lawsuits — including those filed by passengers from other states — in federal court in Minnesota. More passengers have since filed their own civil complaints in connection with the Toronto crash. A CBC News review of U.S. court records finds five further cases were filed this week, including one lawsuit on behalf of a Canadian woman and a minor identified only as "G.O.G." Both plaintiffs "suffered, and continue to suffer, from extreme bodily and mental injuries and economic losses as a direct result" of the hard landing, their lawsuit states. Several of the cases were filed by Minneapolis law firm Chestnut Cambronne and use similar wording. The lawsuits allege "gross negligence and recklessness" by crew members, who were "inadequately trained and supervised" by Delta and its subsidiary. Endeavor operated the CRJ-900, built by Canadian firm Bombardier. Dark smoke could be seen billowing from the fuselage after the mid-afternoon crash. Social media posts showed passengers left hanging upside down after the jet flipped over and came to a stop on the snowy runway. Delta announced afterward it would offer $30,000 US to each passenger on the flight, saying the proposal comes with "no strings attached."Canada's Transportation Safety Board (TSB) found a warning system on the plane sent an alert "indicating a high rate of descent" less than three seconds before landing, according to a preliminary report published in March. The TSB also said that less than one second before landing, the angle of the plane's aircraft, known as the pitch attitude, was one degree. The flight operations manual states pitch attitude at touchdown should be between three and eight degrees, the report said. "It is too early to draw conclusions as to the causes of this accident," the TSB said at the time, adding a full investigation report will follow "in due course." The allegations in the lawsuits have not been tested in court. Both Delta and the Minnesota-based attorneys who filed the lawsuits, Bryan L. Bleichner and Christopher P. Renz, did not immediately respond to CBC's requests for comment on Tuesday."The whole descent seemed to be off," one of the plaintiffs, Clayton Bouffard recently told CBC from his home in Greater Sudbury, Ont. "I remember telling my wife that we seemed to be going fast." Bouffard said in an interview more than a month after the crash that he continued to have a sore neck and hadn't slept well ever since. "I'm just thankful all 80 people survived that," he said. "It's amazing we all survived."
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cleanup underway after 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel leaks into Baltimore's harbor
BALTIMORE (WDCW) — Emergency crews in Baltimore are working to clean up roughly 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel that leaked into the harbor on Wednesday. Maryland officials said the spill started around 11 a.m. local time, when fuel began leaking from the Johns Hopkins Hospital's facility in East Baltimore. Prosecutors: 2 arrested with arsenal and Nazi paraphernalia after robbery were ex-military Nearly two hours later, the Baltimore City Fire Department was dispatched to a marina in Harbor East. While investigating the spill, officials learned that the fuel began leaking into the marina from the facility, which was about 1.3 miles away. As of Wednesday afternoon, the spill was contained in the marina at the South Central Avenue Bridge. The Maryland Department of the Environment said the water affected by the spill had been tinged red because of the dye in the oil. Officials added that the leak would not impact drinking water in the area. Officials said the U.S. Coast Guard and a private contractor are working to clear the oil from the water by using oil absorbent materials and skimmers that will feed into a 4,000-gallon pump truck. Pop singer reveals breast cancer diagnosis: 'Sucks' During a press conference Thursday morning, officials said several geese were also removed from the water and taken to a wildlife rehab center. 'This has been a robust and truly collective effort. We have now seen 10 different city and state agencies that have been deployed,' said Maryland Governor Wes Moore. Local leaders also said traffic would likely be disrupted amid the cleanup efforts. 'We are going to do everything in our power to restore the area as quickly as possible without compromising public safety,' said Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott. It's unclear if any fines or penalties will be issued as a result of the spill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
