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Revisiting Air Traffic Safety After Recent Incidents Near Reagan National Airport
A helicopter had to maneuver swiftly to avoid a collision with a plane landing at Reagan National Airport in July 2018, an event that calls to mind the tragic midair crash that occurred recently, resulting in the loss of 67 lives. This earlier incident brings to light issues around air traffic management and safety protocols at the airport.
The 2018 event, highlighted by CBS News, involved several helicopters flying along a path similar to the Army Black Hawk helicopter linked to the recent disaster. The affiliation of these helicopters remains unclear. It was reported that a plane from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was on approach to Runway 33 when at least one helicopter had to take evasive measures to avoid a potential collision.
The same runway, Runway 33, was designated for American Eagle Flight 5342 before Wednesday’s devastating collision. In both incidents, air traffic management is a critical factor, as they only had one air traffic controller overseeing both the local plane and helicopter movements—a situation that typically requires two personnel. An FAA aviation safety report mentioned that the controller failed to provide vital traffic updates to multiple aircraft approaching the runway.
Audio recordings obtained by CBS News revealed the helicopter pilot alerting the air traffic controller about the necessity to “divert to avoid that aircraft.” The air traffic controller acknowledged the near miss, expressing regret and admitting to a lack of clarity in their communications: “I should’ve been better with that traffic call. Sorry about that. I’m sorry for the confusion,” he remarked.
Notably, the 2018 incident occurred during daylight, which likely allowed the helicopter pilot to better visualize and avoid the incoming aircraft. In contrast, the recent crash took place at night, raising concerns about visibility and the complexity of managing multiple aircraft in a crowded airspace.
The FAA has not yet provided a comment regarding these incidents. Recent reports from CBS News indicate that there have been at least five near misses involving aircraft and helicopters near Reagan National Airport in recent years, underscoring a troubling pattern.
The Black Hawk helicopter involved in the fatal incident was conducting a training flight, prompting legislators to question the safety protocols around military flight operations in airspace used by commercial flights. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri voiced his concerns, stating on social media, “I have not yet heard a good reason why military helicopters are doing training exercises in the same airspace as commercial airliners – at night with peak congestion. I hope these exercises in the Reagan airspace will be suspended indefinitely until the investigation is complete.”
Conversely, Billy Nolan, a former acting FAA administrator, defended the practice of military helicopters sharing space with commercial aircraft, suggesting the need for a comprehensive review of air traffic procedures and route designs. “What we should look at is say, have we missed anything in terms of how this is designed, how the roots of the are designed? And is there anything that we would, should or could do differently to prevent this from happening again?” Nolan stated.
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Olivia Rinaldi is a campaign digital reporter at CBS News covering former President Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. Rinaldi previously served as an associate producer for “CBS Evening News with Norah O’Donnell” and as a broadcast associate for “Face the Nation.” She is based in Washington, D.C.
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www.cbsnews.com