Max 8 Plane On Reagan Airport Runway Forced To Turn Back (Video)

ARLINGTON, VA -- The sudden announcement by President Trump on Wednesday that all Boeing Max 8 planes in the nation would be grounded forced one plane that was about to take off from Reagan National Airport to suddenly abort and head back to the gate with a full load of passengers (video below).

The United States for days resisted grounding Boeing 737 Max 8 jets despite a deadly crash involving one of the planes in Ethiopia, which had strong similarities to another fatal crash involving the plane in Indonesia several months before. However, after every other country around the world grounded the plane, President Trump relented and announced that the Max 8 jet -- and the Max 9, another jet in the series -- would be grounded pending an investigation.

“Any plane currently in the air will go to its destination and thereafter be grounded until further notice,” Trump said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon. “The safety of the American people, and all people, is our paramount concern.”

Minutes after the announcement, a flight that was taxiing for takeoff at Reagan National Airport had to make a U-turn and head back for the gate.

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This Max 8 just pushed back from DCA - looks like it will be allowed to continue to Orlando where it is headed @nbcwashington #737MAX8 pic.twitter.com/uKWD8TGqwT
— Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) March 13, 2019

BREAK - the Max 8 plane is headed back to DCA gate!!!!!! @nbcwashington #737max8 pic.twitter.com/8wPUatDs1Z
— Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) March 13, 2019

A passenger on the flight who was interviewed by NBC 4's Adam Tuss (video embedded below) said that although Trump's announcement was made several minutes before departure, the pilot still pushed back from the gate only to later inform a disgruntled cabin that the plane would be headed back to the gate.

Passenger on Southwest 737 Max8 reacts after it was turned around at @Reagan_Airport on runway and couldn’t take off. @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/g3qwJFe7JP
— Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) March 13, 2019

Group of students from Miami stranded at DCA after American Airlines cancelled their flight tonight. Ripple effects now starting to be felt. “Trump cancelled the plane!” @nbcwashington pic.twitter.com/Itm1hpPWM3
— Adam Tuss (@AdamTuss) March 13, 2019