Crash Warning as Report into DC Disaster at Reagan Airport Is Released > 자유게시판

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Federal detectives have raised issues of a capacity for another fatal aircraft crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair accident earlier this year eliminated 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board offered an upgrade on their investigation into the cause of the catastrophe which took place on January 29 in Washington.

An American Airlines jetliner and a Black Hawk military helicopter collided in midair over the Potomac River, killing everyone on board both aircrafts.

As part of an initial report launched on Tuesday, detectives raised issues of more crashes including helicopters at the airport.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy stated: 'We remain concerned about the significant capacity for future mid-air collision at DCA.'

Her issues focus on Transport Secretary Sean Duffy moving to restrict helicopter traffic around the location, however that is set to stop at the end of the month.

When authorities, medical or governmental transportation helicopters must utilize the space civilian aircrafts are stopped from remaining in the exact same location.

Homendy said the NTSB is now recommending that the FAA discover a 'irreversible service' for alternate routes for helicopters when two of the airport's runways remain in usage.

Emergency systems react after a passenger aircraft collided with a helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia

Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) Jennifer Homendy talks to reporters about the 29 January mid-air accident

It was also exposed on Tuesday that there was warning signs in the lead up to the deadly disaster.

Those penetrating the crash went through 944,179 operations in between October 2021 and December 2024.

It was discovered that 15,214 'near-miss occasions' of aircrafts getting notifies about helicopters being in close distance in between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB also said that there were 85 cases where 2 aircraft where laterally split by less than 1,500 feet, and a vertical separation of less than 200 feet.

Homendy added: 'That data from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) could have utilized that information at any time to determine that we have a trend here and an issue here, and looked at that route; that didn't happen, which is why we're doing something about it today. But regrettably, individuals lost lives, and enjoyed ones are grieving.'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed these findings at a later press conference on Tuesday.

Duffy stated: 'I think the question is when this information is available in how did the FAA not understand. How did they not study the information to say "hi, this is a hot spot, we are having near misses out on and if we don't alter our ways we are gon na lose lives".'

He added: 'That wasn't done, perhaps there was a concentrate on something other than safety.'

Duffy would later included when questioned by a press reporter about the near misses that the data had 'p *** ed him off'.

Pictured: Parts of the wreckage seen sitting in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 people

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Investigators believe that the helicopter involved in the crash may have had inaccurate elevation readings in the minutes before the crash.

The crash likely happened at an altitude just under 300 feet, as the aircraft came down towards the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limitation for that location.

On Tuesday American Airlines welcomed the report by the NTSB, stating: 'We're grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board's immediate security recommendations to limit helicopter traffic near DCA and for its comprehensive examination.

'We will continue to coordinate closely with PSA Airlines as it complies as an investigative celebration member.'

The helicopter pilots might have also missed out on part of another communication, when the tower said the jet was turning towards a various runway, Homendy stated last month.

The helicopter was on a 'check' flight that night where the pilot was undergoing an annual test and a test on utilizing night vision safety glasses, Homendy said.

Investigators think the team was wearing night vision goggles throughout the flight.

The Army has stated the Black Hawk team was extremely experienced, and accustomed to the crowded skies around the nation ´ s capital.

At the time of the crash, a single air traffic controller was all at once monitoring both the helicopter and plane traffic.

Those tasks are typically handled in between 2 people from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New york city Times.

Those tasks are normally dealt with in between two people from 10am up until 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance footage drawn from inside the airport captured the minute the two collided in midair

At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was concurrently monitoring both the helicopter and aircraft traffic. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen here

After 9:30 pm the tasks are generally integrated and left to a single person as the airport sees less traffic later in the night.

A manager apparently decided to combine those responsibilities before the set up cutoff time however, and permitted one air traffic controller to leave work early.

The FAA report stated that staffing configuration 'was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic'.

Reagan National has actually been understaffed for several years, with simply 19 completely accredited controllers since September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan sent to Congress.

The circumstance appeared to have enhanced ever since, as a source told CNN the Reagan National control tower was 85 percent staffed with 24 of 28 positions filled.

Chronic understaffing at air traffic control service towers is nothing brand-new, with well-known causes including high turnover and budget cuts.

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In order to fill the spaces, controllers are regularly asked to work 10-hour days, six days a week.

After the release of the report, previous Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo deemed the findings as 'uncommon'.

She stated: 'This NTSB action is extremely unusual. The release of an emergency situation recommendation asking for the FAA take immediate action, before the completion of the NTSB examination is .'

The 2 aircraft had clashed in a huge fireball that showed up on dashcams of vehicles driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

Less than a month later, on February 17, a Delta passenger aircraft crashed-landed upside down in disorderly scenes at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada.

Miraculously, everyone on board survived after being suspended upside-down by their seat belts for several minutes up until they tentatively started leaving.

The plane had been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport with 76 guests and four crew members on board.

Some 21 people were taken to the hospital for treatment to small injuries, and Delta has actually offered each individual a no-strings $30,000 payout in settlement.

And the airplane carnage is continuous - on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a parking area of a suburban Pennsylvania retirement community.

Dramatic footage showed the Beechcraft A36TC appear in flames in the car park of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five people were rushed to health center.

Medics, ambulances, and emergency lorries rushed to the scene in Lancaster County as flames engulfed the plane and neighboring automobiles.

The plane took off as arranged on Sunday afternoon, however rapidly asked for to land back on the tarmac since its door had opened.

American Airlines