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FAA apologizes for not notifying Capitol Police about Nationals Park parachute drop

WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration apologized on Friday for its failure to notify the Capitol Police about a parachute jump at nearby Nationals Park, an error that led to the evacuation of the Capitol complex on Wednesday.

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“We deeply regret that we contributed to a precautionary evacuation of the Capitol complex and apologize for the disruption and fear experienced by those who work there,” the FAA said in a statement.

On Wednesday evening, Capitol Police ordered the evacuation of the Capitol complex, saying they were “tracking an aircraft that poses a probable threat.” However, the all-clear was given after it was determined that the plane was part of a parachute demonstration at Nationals Park, located about a mile from the Capitol.

The FAA said it was “taking immediate steps to ensure that we always coordinate well in advance with other agencies to avoid confusion over future aviation events in the Washington, D.C., area,” The Associated Press reported.

The agency said its review of the incident in heavily restricted airspace was continuing.

The plane was carrying members of the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights, who then parachuted into the Washington Nationals’ baseball stadium for a pregame demonstration, the AP reported.

>> Parachute demo at Nationals Park causes brief evacuation of US Capitol

The single-engine plane was reported to be circling around Washington after taking off from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, two people familiar with the matter told the AP. The people said the aircraft did not report taking off and did not have the appropriate clearance.

The evacuated buildings included the Capitol, Capitol Visitor Center, Hart, Dirksen, Russell, Cannon, Longworth, Rayburn, Library of Congress and the U.S. Botanic Garden buildings, WUSA-TV reported.

In a statement Wednesday night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized the FAA’s failure to notify the Capitol Police as “outrageous and inexcusable.”

On Thursday, the Capitol Police issued a statement that said the agency had to “make split-second decisions that could make the difference between life and death.”

“The decision to evacuate the campus is not one we take lightly,” Capitol Police said.