A spokesman for Republic Airways said he didn’t have any information about the incident. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, which runs National, referred questions to the FAA.
The FAA says go-rounds are a standard measure to ensure safety, but they can be jarring for passengers not anticipating a swift change of course. The Republic flight looped around before ultimately landing on the main runway.
Controllers at National regularly ask smaller regional jets whether they can circle to Runway 33 so the tower can manage the busy flow of departures and arrivals. The manoeuvre requires pilots to swing off their path along the Potomac River and hook over land before arriving.
The sequence on Monday was similar to the moments before the deadly January 29 collision involving a regional jet and an Army helicopter that killed 67 people. A controller had asked the jet to circle to Runway 33, bringing it into the path of the helicopter.
The crash has put scrutiny on the FAA’s management of the busy airspace around National, prompting changes in how the agency handles traffic, including the closure of the helicopter route where the crash happened. The National Transportation Safety Board is continuing to investigate.
There have been other incidents near the airport since the crash, including one in May when two airliners had to go around to keep clear of an Army helicopter landing at the Pentagon.
Sign up to Herald Premium Editor’s Picks, delivered straight to your inbox every Friday. Editor-in-Chief Murray Kirkness picks the week’s best features, interviews and investigations. Sign up for Herald Premium here.