Washington DC plane crash: Authorities recover 41 bodies after mid-air collision
Authorities have recovered 40 bodies after a plane crash in Washington DC.
Sixty-seven people were killed when an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter collided mid-air on Wednesday night.
Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River after colliding. Some 300 personnel rushed to the scene, but the rescue soon turned into a recovery mission as officials said there were no survivors.
DC's fire department confirmed on Friday that 41 bodies have been recovered.
Meanwhile, amid questions over how well the airport's control tower was staffed on the night of the crash, it's been confirmed that an air traffic control supervisor had let a controller leave their shift early.
The detail, first reported by the New York Times, has been confirmed to Sky News' US partner NBC News by a source familiar with the investigation.
1:52
It means a single controller was handling both plane and helicopter traffic in the area when the two aircraft collided.
It is allowable - but not optimal - for one controller to do both jobs, NBC News reported.
The American Airlines jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew when it crashed with the Black Hawk helicopter, carrying three soldiers, shortly before 9pm local time on Wednesday.
Flight 5342 was preparing to land on runway 33 at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it collided with the helicopter in one of the most tightly controlled airspaces in the world.
'Hug your loved ones,' says man whose wife died in crash
A man whose wife was on the flight has recalled how he saw emergency services "speeding past" as he was waiting at the airport to pick her up.
Hamaad Raza told NBC News his wife of two years, Asra, had "texted me [and] said, 'We're landing in 20 minutes'".
"I was waiting and I started seeing a bunch of EMS vehicles speeding past me… way too many, [more] than normal and my texts weren't going through."
"It's crazy that it happened to us," he said. "You see these things happen in the news, you see them happen in other countries and then I show up to the airport and my wife's not responding. I look on Twitter and I see that it's her flight."
As he faces an agonising wait while the recovery mission continues, Mr Raza said the thing he would like people to understand is: "Life is short, hug your loved ones, tell them you love them. When they're getting on a flight, check up on them. Text your family when you land."
0:30
Trump makes unproven diversity drive claim
Donald Trump has linked a diversity drive at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) under previous governments to the crash.
It has since been said there is no evidence to support the US president's claim.
Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Mr Trump suggested the diversity efforts had made air travel less safe.
He said: "We do not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas."
While Mr Trump's claim appears to have been debunked, there are questions over staffing at Reagan Washington National Airport.
NBC News reported staffing in the air traffic control tower was "not normal", according to an initial FAA report.
The tower normally has a controller who focuses specifically on helicopter traffic - but at the time of the crash, a source said, one controller was overseeing both plane and helicopter activity.
The FAA, which controls air traffic control as well as certification of personnel and aircraft, is without a permanent administrator. Its former boss Michael Whitaker stepped down on 20 January - the day of Mr Trump's inauguration.
Mr Trump has appointed an acting administrator, Chris Rocheleau, in the wake of the crash.
Mr Whitaker had clashed with Mr Trump's confidante Elon Musk over the SpaceX rocket launches during his tenure at the FAA.
Since starting as head of the administration in October 2023, he was also forced to respond to Boeing's safety and quality problems, and worked to hire more air traffic controllers due to a shortage of staff.
0:19
At his briefing, Mr Trump blamed former president Joe Biden for lowering standards for air traffic controllers.
"We have to have our smartest people," he said. "They have to be naturally talented geniuses."
Mr Trump added: "The FAA is actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems, and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agency's website."
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The American Association of People with Disabilities responded to these claims, saying in a statement on X: "FAA employees with disabilities did not cause [the] tragic plane crash.
"The investigation into the crash is still ongoing. It is extremely inappropriate for the president to use this tragedy to push an anti-diversity hiring agenda. Doing so makes all Americans less safe."
0:44
Mr Trump also criticised former president Barack Obama for putting "policy over safety" when it came to US aviation.
"I changed the Obama standards from very mediocre at best to extraordinary," he said.
Mr Trump said after being sworn in last week, he signed an executive order which "restored the highest standards of air traffic controllers".
"When I left office and Biden took over he changed them [standards for those who work in aviation system] back to lower than ever before, I put safety first, Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first, they put politics at a level that nobody's ever seen because this was the lowest level," he said.
At a later briefing, he was asked if gender or race played a role. He answered: "It may have, I don't know. Incompetence may have played a role."
US transport secretary plans FAA overhaul
Transportation secretary Sean Duffy has said he is working on a plan to reform the FAA .
"I am in the process of developing an initial plan to fix the @FAANews. I hope to put it out very shortly," he said on X.
Mr Trump's nominee to lead the US Army, Daniel Driscoll, said at a Senate confirmation hearing that training exercises near an airport like the Washington National Airport may not be appropriate.
Wednesday's crash was the deadliest in the US since November 2001, when an American Airlines flight hit a residential area of Belle Harbor, New York, just after take-off from Kennedy Airport, killing all 260 people aboard.
The last major fatal crash involving a US commercial airline occurred in 2009 near Buffalo, New York, when 50 people were killed.
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NBC News
6 hours ago
- NBC News
Live updates: Air India plane carrying 242 people crashes in India, only one person survived
Here's what we know An Air India plane carrying 242 people crashed today near a major international airport in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, the airline and the country's government said. The airline confirmed that 241 people aboard were killed. There was only one survivor. The sole survivor was identified as a British national of Indian origin. The Hindustan Times reports that the 40-year-old man told them, 'Thirty seconds after take-off, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.' The plane struck a medical school hostel, killing at least one person on the ground. At least seven people are missing and over 50 were hospitalized from the building. Twelve crew members were among the 242 people aboard the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner when it crashed into a residential area just before 5 a.m. ET. The passenger breakdown was 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals and one Canadian national, Air India said. Sole survivor of crash called his dad just after plane went down, brother says The sole survivor of the Air India crash, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, spoke to his father just before takeoff, his family says. Minutes later, he called his father back to say the plane crashed. He said he was having trouble finding his brother, with whom he was traveling, the survivor's other brother, Nayan Kumar Ramesh, told NBC News' European partner Sky News. "I don't know where my brother is, I don't see any other passengers. I don't know how I'm alive, how I exited the plane," Nayan Kumar Ramesh reported his brother saying. He said he has "no words to describe" the crash, which claimed the lives of everyone on board — except for Vishwash Kumar Ramesh. "This is a miracle that he survived," Nayan said of Vishwash. "But what other miracle for my other brother?" 241 people killed in crash, only one person survived, Air India says Air India said that of the 242 people aboard Flight 171, all but one person died. The airline confirmed in a statement that the only survivor was a British national of Indian origin. "The 12-year-old Boeing 787-8 aircraft departed from Ahmedabad at 1338 hrs, carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew," the statement said. "The aircraft crashed shortly after take-off. We regret to inform that, of the 242 aboard, there are 241 confirmed fatalities. The sole survivor is being treated in a hospital." "Air India offers its deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of all those affected, their families and loved ones," the airline said. "A team of caregivers from Air India is now in Ahmedabad to provide additional support. Air India is giving its full cooperation to the authorities investigating this incident." India launches investigation into plane crash A formal investigation has been opened by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the Air India plane crash. The investigation is in line with international protocols set by the International Civil Aviation Organization, India's Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu said on X. The government will also have a committee of experts from multiple disciplines to investigate the case. 'The committee will work to strengthen aviation safety and prevent such incidents in future,' Kinjarapu said. India's home minister says he's met with survivor of crash Marlene Lenthang and Jean-Nicholas Fievet India's Minister of Home Affairs, Amit Shah, told reporters today that one passenger aboard Air India 171 'fortunately survived, and I have met him.' He did not disclose details on that passenger's condition. 'The entire country is in shock, and stands with the kin of those who have lost their lives,' Shah said. 'On behalf of the Prime Minister, the central government and the Gujarat government, I pay my tributes to those who have lost their lives in this incident.' Shah said he spoke with government officials within 10 minutes of the crash, and central and state governments are involved in the rescue operation. British national who survived crash was traveling with his brother, family says Jean-Nicholas Fievet The only known survivor of the plane crash in India was traveling with his brother, according to relatives in the U.K. The family of British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh have told NBC's partner in the U.K., Sky News, that they have not heard from another relative they believe was also on the flight. A flight manifest seen by NBC News shows that U.K. national Mr. Ajay Kumar Ramesh was in seat 11J. Photo shows relatives mourning in northwestern India Family members of one of the crew members of Air India Flight 171 mourn at their residence near Imphal, in the Indian state of Manipur, following today's fatal crash. Passenger reportedly survives crash; tells local media, 'It all happened so quickly' Indian media reports say that a British national survived the crash. NBC News has cross-checked the flight manifest and confirmed that the name of the man and the seat number match those reported by local media. Family members have confirmed to Sky News that British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh survived the plane crash in Ahmedabad this morning. The family has not heard from another family member who they believe was on the flight. The Hindustan Times reports that a 40-year-old British man with the same name told them, 'Thirty seconds after takeoff, there was a loud noise and then the plane crashed. It all happened so quickly.' The newspaper has posted a photo of him and a flight boarding card. The news agency ANI is citing Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik as saying one man survived and is in the hospital. It give the same seat number as the one on the boarding card published by the Hindustan Times. 1 dead, at least 7 missing and over 50 hospitalized from hostel plane crashed into Air India Flight 171 crashed into a hostel for students at B.J. Medical College and Civil Hospital and their relatives. The wife of a doctor was found dead and 50 students from the college's bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery program were admitted to the hospital and are in stable condition, the Federation of All Indian Medical Associations wrote on X. Two or three students are in the high dependency unit/ICU. Four or five students are missing and three or four relatives of resident doctors are missing, the organization said. The federation also shared photos showing the extensive damage to the hostel. Plane gave mayday call shortly after takeoff, aviation authority says Gavon Laessig Air India Flight 171 gave a mayday call shortly after it took off, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation said in a statement. The plane crashed "immediately" after takeoff, the DGCA said. Following the mayday call, there was no response to calls from air traffic control. "The aircraft was under the command of Capt Sumeet Sabharwal with First Officer Clive Kundar," the statement said. "Capt Sumeet Sabharwal is a LTC with 8200 Hrs of experience. The copilot had 1100 Hrs of flying experience." Share Air India adds second passenger hotline for foreign nationals Astha Rajvanshi Air India said it added another hotline number for foreign nationals, +91 8062779200, for crash-related passenger queries and assistance. Earlier, the airline set up a dedicated local hotline for passengers at +91 99741 11327. Air India desks at Gatwick Airport closed Reporting from Horley, England In the next few hours, passengers would have been checking in for their Air India flight from London to the southern Indian city of Goa. Instead, the Air India check-in desks at London's Gatwick Airport are quiet: unstaffed, cordoned off and with no customers jostling to offload their bags. After arriving here from India, Flight 171 would have become Flight 146, taking off again at 8:30 p.m. local time (3:30 p.m. ET) for Goa. That will of course no longer happen. Air India has no other flights scheduled today, hence the desks being closed down. Now at the south terminal, there is a heavy presence of airport staff wearing high-visibility jackets, providing information and guidance relating to the crash and redirecting journalists to a media pen in the north terminal. Air India owner vows to rebuild building plane crashed into, financially support victims' families Tata Group, one of the owners of Air India, will provide 1 crore rupees, or $117,000, to the families of the Air India Flight 171 crash victims. 'We will also cover the medical expenses of those injured and ensure that they receive all necessary care and support,' Tata Sons and Tata Group chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said on X. The company will also 'provide support' in the rebuilding of the BJ Medical College hostel the plane crashed into. "No words can adequately express the grief we feel at this moment. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have lost their loved ones, and with those who have been injured," he said. Air India CEO says injured passengers taken to hospital Campbell Wilson, the CEO of Air India, has just given an official statement on the crash in a video posted to X. 'This is a difficult day for all of us at Air India, and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones,' Wilson said. He added that the airline was actively working with the local authorities on all emergency response efforts after injured passengers were taken to the nearest hospitals. News of injured passengers seems to conflict with earlier police reports that there appeared to be no survivors. A special team of caregivers from Air India was also on its way to Ahmedabad to provide additional support, he said. 'Investigations will take time, but anything we can do now, we are doing,' he added. Pope Leo sends condolences after Air India crash Pope Leo XIV said he was 'deeply saddened by the tragedy involving an Air India aircraft,' according to a message sent out on his behalf on Telegram. 'His holiness Pope Leo XIV sends his heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives, together with the assurance of prayers for all involved in the recovery efforts,' his message said. 'Commending the souls of the deceased to the mercy of the Almighty, his Holiness invokes upon all affected the divine blessings of healing and peace.' Prime Minister Mark Carney 'devastated' plane had a Canadian citizen on board Air India Flight 171 was carrying 242 passengers, including one Canadian citizen. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a post on X that he was 'devastated' to learn of the crash, adding that his 'thoughts are with the loved ones of everyone on board.' Carney said Canada's transportation officials were in close contact with their Indian counterparts, adding, 'I am receiving regular updates as the response to this tragedy unfolds.' What to know about the Boeing 787 aircraft that crashed in Ahmedabad London-bound Air India Flight 171 is a Boeing 787 aircraft that was manufactured in Seattle and is 11.5 years old, according to Cirium, an aviation analytics firm. Air India bought the aircraft in January 2014, but the first flight took off on Dec. 14, 2023. The plane accrued more than 41,000 hours of flying, with almost 8,000 takeoffs and landings, including some 700 cycles in the past 12 months — the average time for an aircraft of that build, Cirium said. The plane had 18 business class seats and 238 economy class seats. Air India, which owns 190 aircraft, operated 34 of the 1,148 variants of Boeing 787 planes in service globally, including the plane that crashed. Boeing said in an official statement that 'its thoughts are with the passengers, crew, first responders and all affected.' King Charles offers 'special prayers and deepest possible sympathy' King Charles III in said a statement earlier that he was 'desperately shocked' by the 'terrible events' following the crash of a London-bound Air India plane in Ahmedabad this morning. 'Our special prayers and deepest possible sympathy are with the families and friends of all those affected by this appallingly tragic incident across so many nations, as they await news of their loved ones,' he said. The British monarch also paid a special tribute to the emergency services and all those involved in the rescue efforts. More than 200 dead after crash, police official says Kanan Desai, a top city police officer, says that more than 200 people have died after the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad, Reuters reports. The local police chief said at least 204 bodies had been recovered from the crash site and that they could include passengers and those who died on the ground from the collision impact. Police said earlier that more than 100 bodies, most of them badly charred, had been brought to the local government hospital for autopsy. Ahmedabad airport resumes operations after crash The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad said its operations had resumed, with 'limited flights' now moving after it grounded all flights following the nearby crash of Flight AI171. 'Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates before proceeding to the airport,' the airport spokesperson said in a statement, adding that authorities were managing the 'evolving situation.' Airport authorities added that a dedicated helpline had been set up for crash-related passenger queries and assistance at +91 99741 11327. A day like any other at Flight AI171's London destination Alexander Smith At the international arrivals section of London Gatwick's south terminal, there were no immediate signs of the crash. This is where Air India Flight 171 was scheduled to land early Thursday evening local time. Passengers continued to stream through the arrivals gate, some of them overheard discussing the events thousands of miles away. Indian foreign ministry says rescue operations are ongoing Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, speaking at a press briefing earlier today, said that the Air India air crash was 'an evolving situation' and that rescue operations were ongoing. 'What has happened in Ahmedabad is a very tragic accident. We have lost a lot of people,' Jaiswal told reporters. He added that further updates on the status of foreigners would come in due time from the relevant organizations, including the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Air India and others. 'Everybody is concerned, and we once again convey our deepest condolences to all the families who lost their loved ones,' he added. There appear to be no survivors, Ahmedabad police commissioner says 'It appears there are no survivors in the plane crash,' G.S. Malik, the police commissioner for Ahmedabad, told The Associated Press, adding that 'some locals would have also died' when the plane crashed into a residential area where offices were also located. 'Exact figures on casualties are being ascertained,' he said. The flight crashed midday local time shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport with 242 people on board. Plane crashes are not that common in India Plane crashes are not common in India, which boasts some of the world's strictest air standards after being rattled by a series of bombings and hijackings from the 1970s to the 1990s. In October, the Indian government vowed to punish those responsible for flight disruptions after more than 90 flights from Indian airports received bomb threats in just over a week. They were primarily directed at Indian airlines, but they also affected international airlines. 'Safety and security is the foremost aspect,' the Indian aviation minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, told reporters at the time. Today's crash comes after Air India, once state-owned, came under the control of the Indian conglomerate Tata Group in 2022. Tata chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran said in a post on X that an emergency center has been activated for family members seeking information. India has suffered more than 50 major air disasters since its independence, including a 1996 midair collision in Delhi between a Saudi Boeing 747 en route to Saudi Arabia and a Kazakhstan Airlines Flight 1907 arriving from Kazakhstan. It is considered the worst air crash in India to date, killing 349 people. More than 100 bodies brought to hospital, police say More than 100 bodies have been brought to a hospital in the city of Ahmedabad, local police told Reuters. That came after rescuers earlier said that they had recovered between 30 and 35 bodies from the site. U.K. foreign ministry launches crisis teams in London, Delhi The British foreign office has scrambled together crisis teams in London and Delhi to support British nationals affected by the crash of Air India Flight AI171 British Foreign Minister David Lammy said. 'My thoughts and I'm sure those of the entire house are with those who've been affected by the tragic plane crash in India this morning,' Lammy said as he began an address to the British Parliament on Thursday morning. 'We know that British nationals were on board and I can confirm that the FCDO [foreign office] is working urgently with local authorities to support British nationals and their families,' he added. Boeing shares down over 8% in premarket trading Shares of Boeing fell more than 8% in premarket trading today after Flight AI171 — a Boeing 787 — crashed in the latest such accident involving one of the aerospace giant's aircraft. 'We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information,' Boeing said in a statement. Boeing's safety record has faced scrutiny following two fatal crashes of its 737 Max aircraft in 2018 and 2019 that led to more than 340 deaths. The plane crashed in a residential area and area around a medical school The Air India flight crashed in a low-rise residential complex south of the Ahmedabad airport, according to pictures shared on X by India's central police force. Indian media identified it as a medical school's residential complex. In an image that the Indian Central Industrial Security Force posted on X, the tail of Air India Flight AI171, which is missing most of a wing, can be seen protruding from a destroyed building at the crash site. Other images showed rescuers standing next to charred wreckage and a downed tree near a residential complex. The security force said it was carrying out rescue operations alongside local authorities and emergency services. Modi says the plane crash is 'heartbreaking' Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said today that the plane crash in Ahmedabad is 'heartbreaking beyond words.' 'The tragedy in Ahmedabad has stunned and saddened us,' Modi said in a post on X. 'In this sad hour, my thoughts are with everyone affected by it.' Modi said he has been in touch with officials who are working to assist those affected. Scenes from India are 'devastating,' British PM says Henry Austin Reporting from London Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer said 'the scenes emerging of a London-bound plane carrying many British nationals crashing in the Indian city of Ahmedabad are devastating.' In a statement, he added that he was being kept updated about the situation as it develops. Ahmedabad airport suspends all flights after plane crash Peter Guo India's Ahmedabad airport has temporarily suspended all flight operations after the crash. 'Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for the latest updates before proceeding to the airport,' the airport said in a post on X. Ahmedabad airport, one of the busiest in India, handled a total of over 11 million passengers in the 2024 financial year, according to Statista. Hospitals on 'high alert,' minister says Peter Guo and Chantal Da Silva Hospitals in the areas around the Ahmedabad airport have been put on 'high alert' following the crash that happened shortly after takeoff, said Harsh Sanghavi, home minister for the state of Gujarat, where Ahmedabad is located. Rescue teams were also dispatched to the site of the crash, he said in a post on X, adding that all ambulances, including at least 108 vehicles, stood ready to respond. Sanghavi said senior officials had also been deployed to hospitals and to the airport to 'ensure prompt action and save lives.' Civil aviation minister offers his thoughts and prayers to those aboard Henry Austin India's civil aviation minister has offered his thoughts and prayers to those on board Flight AI171 and their families. 'Shocked and devastated to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad,' Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu said in a post on X, adding that he was 'personally monitoring the situation and [has] directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action.' 'Rescue teams have been mobilized, and all efforts are being made to ensure medical aid and relief support are being rushed to the site,' he added. 'My thoughts and prayers are with all those on board and their families.' Passengers on board Flight AI171 were mostly Indian and British citizens At least 169 Indian nationals were among the 242 people on board Flight AI171 when it crashed, Air India has said. There were also at least 53 British citizens on the flight, which was headed to London Gatwick Airport, just outside Britain's capital. At least seven of those on board were Portuguese nationals, along with one Canadian citizen. Air India said the injured were being taken to the nearest hospitals and that the airline was fully cooperating with authorities in their investigation. Share Plane crashes near major Indian airport with more than 200 people on board Jennifer Jett and Mithil Aggarwal An Air India plane with 242 people on board crashed Thursday near a major international airport in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad, the airline and the country's government said. Air India, the country's flagship carrier, said in a post on X that Flight 171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick had been 'involved in an incident' and that it was 'ascertaining the details and will share further updates at the earliest.' The flight was scheduled to depart at 1:10 p.m. local time (3:40 a.m. ET). Reuters reported that 242 people were on board and cited police in adding that the plane crashed into a civilian area. 'Shocked and devastated to learn about the flight crash in Ahmedabad,' Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, India's civil aviation minister, said in a post on X. 'I am personally monitoring the situation and have directed all aviation and emergency response agencies to take swift and coordinated action.'
Daily Mail
10 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Why so many planes are crashing right now, pilot reveals
An Air India flight bound for London Gatwick has crashed shortly after taking flight from the northwestern Indian state of Gujarat, carrying 242 passengers and crew. Here, we're republishing a piece from February by former commercial pilot and crash investigator Shawn Pruchnicki, which exposes the dangers within the aviation industry in 2025. Another day – another near miss. It's a sickening reminder of the American Airlines regional crash with a military helicopter in DC that killed 67 last month – and of a spate of other accidents these past weeks. As a former commercial pilot, crash investigator and expert in accident causation, I have seen the safety buffer that took decades to build steadily eroded in recent years. It started with declining standards at Boeing – turning out planes with defects, such as the Boeing 737 Max, that led to the deaths of 346 people in two crashes in less than six months in October 2018 and March 2019. Last January, a door-sized panel blew out in a 737 Max mid-flight with near-catastrophic consequences. But the truth is the experts have been raising the alarm for years. We have watched in horror as planes come within a few hundred feet of each other – on the runway or in the air. If planes come within a couple of miles of each other, we start to worry. Any distance noted in feet counts as within a hair's breadth of disaster! Pictured: Hearing on "Examining Boeing's Broken Safety Culture: Firsthand Accounts," at Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on April 17, 2024 I had a near miss experience myself when flying as a pilot for Delta Connection. I had just landed at JFK and a 747 was coming into land on a parallel runway. The control tower asked the pilot if he would be able to stop short of our location and he said that he could which meant they cleared us to cross the runway. We had a gut feeling that this pilot – who possibly wasn't familiar with the airport - couldn't do what he said and so we decided not to cross and to stay where we were. A few moments later the 747 blasted through right in front of us, hurtling past at a high rate of speed. If we'd crossed the runway as directed, there would have been a collision. So, I'm sorry to say that when news broke on January 29 that a commercial airliner had been struck by a Black Hawk helicopter in the skies above DC's Reagan International Airport, I wasn't surprised. I have long feared that it wasn't a matter of 'if' such a catastrophe would happen but 'where' and 'when.' A key contributing factor to the problems we are experiencing in our airspace system is the chronic shortage of air traffic controllers. I feel for these controllers. They are over-worked and over-stressed – they know that if they make a mistake someone could die. That's not to say that planes are falling out of the skies. Air travel is still the safest mode of transport we have. But, unfortunately, several dramatic incidents in the last year have rattled public confidence in safety. Within 48 hours of the DC crash, a small medical jet crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood killing all six on board and claiming the life of another on the ground - another awful and dramatic moment. On February 6, a small, chartered aircraft carrying 10 crashed in Alaska. Nine days later, a Delta Connection flight from Minneapolis with 76 passengers and 4 crew collapsed as it struck the runway, flipped and caught fire, losing its tail and a wing. Mercifully, everyone survived. I don't think that either the Philadelphia or the Alaska crashes would have made national and international news headlines had they not happened in such close proximity to the two crashes involving commercial flights. But its undeniable that the buffer of safety in which we once felt so secure has been eroded. Another valid concern is that regional and national airlines are hiring pilots and promoting them through the ranks with less experience than ever before. I'm not aware of any studies that focus on the impact of limited experience on flight safety, but the truth is that, without positive measures to address the problems in our skies, accidents will keep happening and more frequently. We need more qualified candidates in the pipeline for air traffic controllers. When the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommends changes in the wake of their incident investigations they must be implemented. If the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) needs more funding to make this happen then they must be given it. We need to continue to develop and invest in technology that will help pilots and air traffic controllers do their jobs – not to replace them but to assist them. Make no mistake there is still a pretty good safety buffer in place in our skies but it's shrinking, and we need to act now if we want to stop it from shrinking further. Shawn Pruchnicki is an Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University in the College of Engineering. He was a Delta connection pilot for 10 years and trained in accident investigation at the NTSB Academy. He has testified to the US Senate on the current Boeing safety culture and manufacturing problems and his research into aviation safety has been published including by NASA and the FAA.
Reuters
12 hours ago
- Reuters
FAA shrinks area where helicopters are allowed near Reagan airport
June 12 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration said Thursday it is shrinking the area around Reagan Washington National Airport where helicopters are allowed to operate. In March, the FAA imposed permanent restrictions on non-essential helicopter operations around Reagan to eliminate helicopter and passenger jet mixed traffic, including permanently closing one key route. The changes came after the National Transportation Safety Board made two urgent safety recommendations following the Jan. 29 mid-air collision of an American Airlines (AAL.O), opens new tab regional jet and an Army helicopter that killed 67 people.
