1 Day Before American Airlines Plane Crash, Another Jet Had to Abort First Landing at D.C. Airport: Report

Republic Airways Flight 4514 was reportedly forced to "go-around" after spotting a helicopter in its flight path on Tuesday, Jan. 28

Abigail Adams

31 January 2025 at 1:41 pm·2-min read

AP Photo/Alex Brandon A helicopter uses a spotlight on the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Arlington, Va — AP Photo/Alex Brandon
A helicopter uses a spotlight on the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Arlington, Va

One day before the midair crash in Washington, D.C., another collision was reportedly avoided.

Republic Airways Flight 4514 informed air traffic control on Tuesday, Jan. 28, that it had to make a second approach after a helicopter entered its flight path, according to The Washington Post.

A pilot aboard the twin-jet Embraer ERJ 175 reportedly told the tower that the plane had to “go-around” as it approached Memorial Bridge just after 8 p.m. local time.

Data from flight tracking website FlightAware.com showed the passenger plane turned abruptly to the west as it neared the bridge, and landed safely at Reagan National Airport at 8:16 p.m.

Republic Airways tells PEOPLE in a statement on Friday, Jan. 31, that they "didn't have any additional information to offer" about the flight at this time.

This midair incident occurred about 24 hours before American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River as the passenger plane from Wichita, Kan., approached Reagan on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

More than 40 bodies have been pulled from the Potomac River as crews search for victims of Wednesday’s crash, according to the Associated Press and NBC News.

The victims include an engaged pilot, U.S. figure skaters, members of the Wichita community and more.

A preliminary investigation into the crash will take 30 days, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Todd Inman said Friday on Good Morning America. He also said it could take “a year, if not more” for the NTSB to release a final probable cause.

Inman promised the board will “find out what happened” in hopes of preventing a similar incident in the future.

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“We will be on scene here doing all the recovery of the perishable evidence we need for as long as it takes,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Friday it is closing access to parts of the two helicopter routes near the D.C. airport, Reuters reported, citing an agency official. Only police and medical choppers will be allowed between the airport and bridges in the area.

Read the original article on People

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