A Delta ATR-72 aircraft was scheduled to depart from Atlanta to Dallas. All 142 passengers and crew members on board the Delta ATR-72 were cleared for takeoff. The flight departed from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and the T-38s were scheduled to pass overhead shortly after. The Delta ATR-72 was cleared to climb to 10,000 feet in 10 minutes. The T-38s were instructed to fly at 20,000 feet and to fly in a specific pattern. The Delta ATR-72 was cleared to reach its assigned altitude.
The Incident
The Airbus A319 was flying from Paris to New York when it encountered a military jet, a F-16 Fighting Falcon, at an altitude of 30,000 feet. The collision caused significant damage to the aircraft, resulting in the loss of control and subsequent crash landing in the Atlantic Ocean.
The airport serves over 30 million passengers annually, with a significant portion of those passengers coming from the Washington D.C.
This has led to increased security measures being implemented to protect both the airport and the surrounding area.
Military Presence
The airport’s proximity to military installations has also led to increased cooperation between airport security and military personnel.
Further details on this topic will be provided shortly.