Another Near-Collision At Reagan Airport Prompts FAA Investigation

ARLINGTON, VA — An American Airlines flight leaving Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was forced to abort takeoff after officials realized another plane was landing nearby, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The near-collision comes a month after air traffic controllers scrambled to avoid another potential crash between two planes at the Arlington airport.

• RELATED: 2 Planes Nearly Collide On Reagan Airport Runway: Reports

According to the FAA, American Airlines flight 2134 was cleared for takeoff shortly before 10:30 a.m. Wednesday; however, air traffic controllers canceled takeoff when they realized another plane had been cleared to land at an intersecting runway at the same time.

The American Airlines plane had already reached speeds of around 100 miles per hour when it was ordered to abort takeoff, NBC Boston and WCVB reported.

"He was almost at the point of no return, meaning you can't stop, you have to keep flying the aircraft," Tom Kinton, former MassPort CEO and aviation expert, told WCVB.

In recordings obtained by NBC, air traffic controllers can be heard directing the pilot to turn off the main runway to avoid crossing paths with a smaller plane.

The American Airlines plane returned to the gate for inspections and finally departed for Boston around four and a half hours later, WCVB reported.

The FAA is investigating the incident.

"The safety of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we’re grateful to our crew for their professionalism," American Airlines said in a statement sent to Patch. "We will support the FAA in its investigation."

On April 18, two planes in the process of taking off at Reagan also nearly collided on the airport's runways, according to the FAA and multiple reports.

In a statement to Patch, the Federal Aviation Administration said the pilot of Southwest Airlines Flight 2937 was instructed to cross Runway 4 at the airport. The pilot of JetBlue Flight 1554 was starting their takeoff roll on the same runway, the statement said.

Air traffic control audio recordings obtained by CNN and NBC News reportedly detailed controllers shouting for the JetBlue flight to stop its takeoff run as a Southwest flight began taxiing in front of it.

"JetBlue 1554, stop! Southwest, stop! Southwest 2937, stop," someone yelled on radio traffic archived by the website LiveATC.

The two planes stopped about 400 feet apart, CNN reported.

Patch editor Cailin Loesch contributed to this report.