Flights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were temporarily suspended Wednesday night after two pilots reported seeing an unauthorized drone over an active runway, the Federal Aviation Administration said.
What happened
Air traffic controllers halted departures and arrivals for roughly 20 minutes after pilots radioed in about an object moving above the runway. One pilot, arriving on an American Airlines regional flight from Tulsa, told tower staff that he saw "a drone or something that went flying by, probably halfway down the runway," according to air-traffic audio captured by ATC.com. A charter pilot waiting to depart for New Jersey also reported seeing a light that he believed might have been a drone.
"We saw, like, a drone or something that went flying by, probably halfway down the runway,"
Airport operations personnel searched the airfield after the reports but did not locate any unmanned aircraft, the FAA said in a statement. Local and federal authorities were notified and are involved in the response.
Safety and legal implications
Unmanned aircraft are prohibited in much of the airspace around Washington, D.C., and the FAA enforces no-drone zones around airports because of the risk of collisions with manned aircraft. Reagan National sits within a short distance of key federal buildings, including the White House, the U.S. Capitol and the Pentagon.
The FBI investigates illegal drone operations in restricted airspace. Federal penalties for unlawful drone flights can include criminal charges, which may carry fines and jail time under existing statutes.
Context at Reagan National
Reagan National is a busy, geographically constrained airport. The facility was the site of the deadliest U.S. aviation accident in more than two decades in January 2025, when a manned U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet collided, killing 67 people. Later investigations found thousands of near-miss events at the airport during a multiyear period, underscoring concerns about congestion and safety margins in the vicinity of the field.
- Duration of operations pause: about 20 minutes
- Who reported the sighting: two pilots — one arriving from Tulsa and one awaiting departure to New Jersey
- Result of search: airport crews did not find the drone
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Airport | Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) |
| Incident type | Unauthorized UAS reported over runway |
| FAA action | Flights paused; authorities notified |
What passengers should know
While the pause was brief and airport staff completed a search, any unauthorized drone activity near runways poses a real danger to aircraft during critical phases of flight. Travelers should expect increased enforcement of restricted-airspace rules and possible short delays if similar reports occur. Airlines and the airport typically communicate directly with affected passengers when operations are disrupted.
Investigations into such incidents look to determine whether the device was operated intentionally within restricted airspace, whether identification is possible, and whether prosecution is warranted. The FAA and the FBI both have roles in responding to reports and pursuing enforcement.
Airport officials did not report any injuries or aircraft damage related to Wednesday night’s event. The search by airport operations did not turn up a drone, and the FAA said it had notified local and federal authorities.
As drone ownership grows, incidents like this highlight enforcement challenges in densely populated and security-sensitive airspace around the nation’s capital. Federal agencies are continuing to review and develop tools and procedures to detect, attribute and deter unlawful unmanned aircraft operations over critical infrastructure and airport environments.
WE NEWS will update this story if authorities release further information or identify a suspect device or operator.
