Overview

• A United Airlines flight from Houston reportedly made contact with a kite while landing at Reagan National Airport on March 29, 2025.
• The plane landed safely, passengers deplaned normally, and no damage to the aircraft was found upon inspection.
• The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police confiscated the kite at Gravelly Point, a park where kite flying is prohibited due to its proximity to low-flying aircraft.
• The Federal Aviation Administration stated it was not aware of any confirmed contact between the kite and the plane, though witnesses reported seeing the kite hit the aircraft.
• The incident comes after recent aviation safety concerns, including a deadly collision near the same airport in January that killed 67 people.