Passenger Plane and Air Force Jet Divert to Avoid Collision at Reagan National

Delta Flight 2983 was cleared for takeoff on March 28, about the same time that four U.S. Air Force T-38s were inbound for a flyover of Arlington Cemetery.

The air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., on Feb. 1, 2025. Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo

A passenger plane and an Air Force jet were forced to divert course to avoid a mid-air collision near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport just outside of Washington.

Delta Air Lines Flight 2983 was cleared for takeoff on March 28 at about 3:15 p.m. At the same time, four U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon aircraft were inbound for a flyover at Arlington Cemetery, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement.