3 years ago
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) - Officials at Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington are trying to determine why two commercial airliners wound up on closed taxiways last night.
The incidents involved airliners that landed around 9:30pm and before midnight. A Northwest Airlines plane from Memphis turned onto a taxiway and got stuck in ice that had not been cleared since last week's winter storm.
Around 11:45, a United Airlines flight turned onto a different taxiway and got stuck.
Airport spokesman Robert Yingling says in both cases, shuttle buses and fire department vehicles cruised over the tarmac to the stranded airliners and passengers were safely evacuated.
Airport officials say both taxiways were listed as out of service on advisories issued to the airline. Investigators want to know why flight crews for the two jets weren't informed.
