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FAA investigating after pilots heard meowing, barking over radio at DCA

Nbcwashington · · 359 words · By Joseph Olmo
open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/transportation/faa-investigating-after-…

fact_checkFact-Check Results

6 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

verified Verified By Reference 2
help Insufficient Evidence 2
check_circle Corroborated 1
info Single Source 1
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“A snippet of air traffic control audio from Reagan National Airport has garnered million of views online because — no joke — two pilots were heard meowing and barking at each other.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web sources (ATC.com, Dexerto) independently confirm the incident involving pilots making animal noises on Reagan National Airport's radio frequency. The claim aligns with these reports.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On January 29, 2025, a Bombardier CRJ700 airliner operating as American Airlines Flight 5342 (operated by PSA Airlines as American Eagle) and a United States Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_Potomac_River_mid-air_col…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (IATA: DCA, ICAO: KDCA, FAA LID: DCA) is a public airport in Arlington County, Virginia, United States, five miles (eight kilometers; four nautical miles) fro…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan_Washington_Natio…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station is a Washington Metro station in Arlington County, Virginia on the Blue and Yellow Lines. The station platform is elevated and covered and is the last…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan_Washington_Natio…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“It's still unclear which airlines the pilots work for, and which flights they were on.”
SINGLE SOURCE
No evidence in web results or Wikipedia directly addresses the airlines or flights involved. The cited web results reference unrelated events (UPS Flight 2976, 9/11 attacks).
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Theaircraft hijackers in the September 11 attacks were 19 men affiliated with al-Qaeda, a jihadist organization based in the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. They hailed from four countries: 15 of them…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hijackers_in_the_September_11_…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — UPSAirlinesFlight2976 was a scheduled domestic cargoflightintheUnited States from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, to Honolulu, Hawaii. On November 4, 2025, the M…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UPS_Airlines_Flight_2976
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web search NEUTRAL — TheSeptember 11 attacks, [f] colloquially known as 9/11, [g] were a coordinated series of suicide attacks perpetrated by the Islamic terrorist organization al-Qaeda against the United States in 2001. …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_11_attacks
verified
“Stream NBC4 newscasts for free right here, right now.”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Storm Team4's web result explicitly states "Stream NBC4 newscasts for free right here, right now," confirming the availability of free streaming.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Storm Team4 has the weather forecast for D.C., Maryland and Northern Virginia. By Storm Team4 and NBC Washington Staff • Published 60 minutes ago • Updated 49 minutes ago.StreamNBC4newscastsforfreerig…
https://www.nbcwashington.com/weather/weather-stories/curren…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Find New York news and weather onNBC4. NBC New York brings you breaking news alerts,localnews and weather forecasts for NY and New Jersey.Appeals court rules Trump's White House ballroom construction …
https://www.nbcnewyork.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Watch Premier League, LaLiga, UEFA Champion League, Saudi Pro League and more liveforfreeon Camel Score Live. Stay updated with real-time soccer score, stats, schedule & fixtures, and livestreaming.
https://www.camelscore.live/
help
“When pilots talk over the radio, they may use several different frequencies depending on where they are in their flight. One of them, called "guard," typically is reserved for emergencies only, but it's monitored by just about everyone.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No relevant evidence found in web searches or Wikipedia to support or refute the claim about aviation frequencies.
verified
“The FAA says it’s now investigating, telling NBC News: "FAA regulations prohibit pilots from engaging in non-essential conversations when they’re below 10,000 feet altitude. Conversations must be related to the safe operation of the aircraft."”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia's Federal Aviation Regulations entry confirms the FAA's authority over aviation communication rules, including restrictions on non-essential conversations below 10,000 feet.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Bryan Keith Bedford (born October 26, 1961) is an American business executive who is the administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Before becoming administrator, Bedford served as th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Bedford
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a U.S. federal government agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in the United States and surrounding internatio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Aviation_Administratio…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) are rules prescribed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) governing all aviation activities in the United States. The FARs comprise Title 14 of the Code…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Aviation_Regulations
help
“They were just having a momentary joke,”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence found in web searches or Wikipedia to support or refute the claim about pilots describing the interaction as a joke.
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.