Officials at Reagan National Airport in Virginia told riders that the disabled plane was towed off the runway and that all runways have reopened.
The airport also encouraged passengers to check with their specific airline for “residual impacts to their flight schedule.
Reagan National Airport experienced major delays after an incoming flight “blew several tires after landing,” prompting the shut down of two main runways Saturday afternoon, per the Federal Aviation Administration.
Following a brief ground stop, departures and arrivals have been delayed by an hour or more.
The FAA reported that American Airlines Flight 4965 coming from Memphis experienced a mechanical issue upon landing at DCA. The flight landed safely at 4:19 p.m. Saturday local time with no reported injuries.
An American Airlines representative said all 71 passengers from flight 4965 were successfully transported from the stranded airplane to the terminal. There were 4 crew members on board and the FAA will be investigating.
Many incoming flights have been diverted to nearby airports. Reagan National Airport posted the following on Twitter:
Passengers flying to or from Reagan National (DCA) this afternoon should check directly with their airline on the status of their flight prior to coming to the airport, as a disabled aircraft has temporarily disrupted air traffic.
— Reagan Airport (@Reagan_Airport) October 16, 2021
At around 4 p.m., Airports Authority Fire and Rescue responded to Runway 1/19 at Reagan National Airport (DCA) moments after the plane arrived. Runways 1/19 and 15/33 have been temporarily closed by Air Traffic Control as crews assess the situation, according to a statement by Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
Some passengers, both on the affected plane and others, have posted about the incident on social media:
I’m on a plane there waiting to take off- our pilot just said they had a hard landing and blew several tires.
— Patrick Hickey, MD (@pwhickey) October 16, 2021
