FAA Acknowledges Possible Error in Air Traffic Control Leading to DC Plane Crash: NTSB Hearing
An air traffic controller failed to notify the crew of a commercial plane about an approaching Army helicopter before the collision in Washington, D.C., which killed 67 people, an FAA official said. The FAA’s first acknowledgment of this possible error came during National Transportation Safety Board hearings. The incident, which occurred on January 29, is under investigation to determine if the controller should have warned the pilots to avoid a potential collision. The controller, managing helicopter and airliner traffic, was overwhelmed but later reported feeling more comfortable as the workload decreased. However, the NTSB is examining the sequence of events, including the use of visual separation and the high volume of flights at Ronald Reagan National Airport. FAA officials are reviewing the incident and have reduced the arrival rate of aircraft following the crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has acknowledged a potential error in air traffic control that may have contributed to a devastating midair collision in Washington, D.C., which killed 67 people. According to an FAA official testifying at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearings, the air traffic controller at Ronald Reagan National Airport failed to inform the crew of a commercial plane about an approaching Army helicopter before the crash on January 29. This admission marks the FAA’s first public acknowledgment of the possible oversight in the control tower.
The NTSB is currently investigating whether the controller should have warned the airliner’s crew about the helicopter’s path to prevent the collision. On the day of the incident, the controller was managing 21 different aircraft in the 10 minutes before the crash, a task that became increasingly complex. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy pressed FAA officials about the sequence of communications, specifically questioning if the controller should have warned the PSA crew about the approaching helicopter, which was using visual separation techniques. Nick Fuller, the acting deputy chief of the FAA’s air traffic control branch, confirmed that the controller should have informed the pilots about the helicopter’s position.
The aviation officials are also looking into the high volume of flights at Reagan National Airport, which is known for its intense traffic. The airport often handles nearly 80 departures and arrivals per hour, a figure exacerbated by the presence of helicopters and the use of runway 33, which is shorter and requires jets to adjust their flight paths. The FAA has since reduced the arrival rate of aircraft and is conducting a review to prevent similar incidents in the future. However, concerns remain about the pressures faced by air traffic controllers, with some testimonies suggesting that the workload and staffing levels are critical factors in the operation’s safety.
The hearing also addressed the use of visual separation, a practice in which helicopter crews are allowed to navigate without constant radar monitoring, relying instead on their own judgment to avoid other air traffic. This method, while intended to streamline operations, has raised concerns about its effectiveness in high-volume airspace. The FAA has responded by imposing stricter limits on the use of visual separation following the incident. Additionally, staffing levels at the airport have been identified as a significant issue, with FAA data indicating that only 19 out of 26 assigned controllers are available to work.
As the investigation continues, officials are focusing on improving safety protocols and addressing the challenges of managing high-volume air traffic. With the pressure on controllers and the need for efficient operations at Reagan National, the incident has sparked renewed calls for reforms and increased oversight to prevent future tragedies.