News

NTSB Publishes Preliminary Report on Reagan National Near Miss

Agency’s investigation into loss of separation incident remains ongoing.

Thursday, July 03, 2025 at 04:13 PM ET

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Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport [Credit: Mark Stebnicki/Pexels]

Key Takeaways:

The NTSB is investigating a near-miss incident between a U.S. Air Force T-38 formation (DRAGO61) and a Delta Air Lines A319 (Flight 2983) near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, where aircraft came within 0.64 nm horizontally and 100 feet vertically.
The incident stemmed from a misinterpretation of an Air Traffic Control directive, where a "hard time" for stopping departures was understood as a deadline rather than an immediate halt, leading to the Delta flight being cleared for takeoff shortly before the military flyby.
A collision was averted when DRAGO61 visually identified the Delta jet and maintained separation, resulting in no reported damage or injuries to either aircraft or their occupants.
The NTSB has formed an Air Traffic Control investigative group, including the FAA, National Air Traffic Controllers Association, and U.S. Air Force, to analyze data and interview personnel regarding the event.

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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating a loss of separation incident that occurred between DRAGO61, a flight of four U.S. Air Force T-38s, and Delta Air Lines Flight 2983, an Airbus A319. The near miss happened approximately 0.6 miles south of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) at about 3:16 p.m. EDT.

This incident occurred on March 28, around two months after the deadly midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a CRJ-700, killing all 67 on both aircraft.

Ryan is Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group, overseeing a portfolio that includes FLYING, AirlineGeeks, AVweb, Plane + Pilot, KITPLANES, and AircraftForSale.com. He founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has more than a decade of experience across aviation media, airport operations, airline workforce planning, and Part 135 regulatory compliance. His experience ranges from time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing aviation industry executives. Ryan holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and is an adjunct instructor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.