Want to know what really happened ?
Well it’s been almost 10 years since I was the first office on the United flight landing at KDCA and I saw this thread by chance. Very interesting comments. All I can say is after my time in the Navy, then flying for Pan Am, then United, the captain and I had equal experience. We knew what was going on at the airport while we were still at cruising altitude and had plenty of time to discuss the situation, the notams, and how airspace control is expanded out to the next authority if needed. We had landed countless times at uncontrolled fields. We knew the runway was clear when we were told the American flight first went around and then landed. We still looked for an aldis lamp signal from tower, etc, etc. Ok, I guess a truck, deer or rabbit could have been on the runway, but every pilot I know looks down a runway when flaring, they don’t close their eyes. I guess you had to be there.