A passenger jet at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was reportedly hit by a kite on Saturday afternoon, as United Airlines Flight 654 from Houston landed safely. The kite was confiscated by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Police Department for flying in restricted airspace at Gravelly Point. A witness saw the kite hit the plane, causing no damage, and airport police arrived to speak with the kite’s owners but no charges were filed. Kite-flying is prohibited at Gravelly Point due to low-flying aircraft in the area. The incident occurred during the first warm weekend of spring, with many kites flying near the airport. The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits kite-flying near airports and above 500 feet without proper permission, but no notices were found in the database for that day. This event follows other recent aviation incidents, including a collision between an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter near Reagan National in January. Despite these incidents, no charges were filed in relation to the kite hitting the plane, and the flight arrived at its gate at Reagan National only slightly delayed. No connection was found between the kite flying incident and the nearby Blossom Kite Festival.
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