Latest news with #CRJ-700
CNN
30-07-2025
- General
- CNN
Less than a second before hitting a passenger jet, helicopter instructor told pilot to change course, NTSB hearing reveals
The first of the National Transportation Safety Board's three days of investigative hearings is underway to help determine what caused the deadly midair collision on January 29 between an Army helicopter on a training mission and American Airlines flight 5342 landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Transcripts of the cockpit voice recorders and air traffic control audio released in the docket for Wednesday's hearing reveal what was said inside the aircraft in the moments before the crash. As the passenger jet approached the airport, inside the helicopter the instructor was asking the pilot to descend. 'You're at three hundred feet, come down for me,' the transcript from the cockpit voice recorder, also known as a black box, says. Pilots on the regional jet performed their checks to land as the tower told the helicopter, call sign PAT 25, to look out for their CRJ-700 regional jet approaching at 1,200 feet. 'PAT 25 has the traffic in sight. Request visual separation,' the helicopter responds, asking for permission to avoid it visually. In the helicopter the instructor says, 'He's got'em stacked up tonight,' according to the black box transcript. The pilot responds, 'Yeah kinda, busy.' At 8:47 p.m., the controller asks the helicopter, 'PAT 25, you have the CRJ in sight?' as the beeping of an alert the planes are getting too close together is heard in the background. 'PAT two five has uh – aircraft in sight. Request visual separation,' the helicopter responds. Another instruction – to stay behind the passenger plane – wasn't heard in the helicopter as a momentary press of the radio microphone in the Black Hawk cut it off. Inside the helicopter, the instructor tells the pilot to change course. 'Alright kinda come left for me ma'am, I think that's why he's asking… We're kinda… out towards the middle.' 'Oh-kay,' the helicopter pilot responds. 'Fine.' Not even a second later the recordings capture the sound of the collision and impact as the aircraft falls into the icy river below. The NTSB also presented for the first time major 'discrepancies' in the altitude readouts on board the US Army Black Hawk helicopter that led to the crew believing they were flying lower over the Potomac River than they actually were. Investigators said Wednesday that, following the crash, they tested three of the same models of Black Hawk helicopters from the same Army unit involved in the collision flying over the river. 'Notably, the barometric altimeters continued to be 80 to 130 feet lower than the helicopter's determined altitude above sea level when flying at speed over the tidal portion of the Potomac River,' NTSB investigator Marie Moler presented to the hearing. Barometric altimeters use pressure to gauge altitude and can be impacted by a variety of atmospheric and other factors. In its preliminary report, the NTSB said the Black Hawk was consistently higher than maximum published altitudes along the Potomac River, including when it collided with the passenger jet. The heavily technical findings are the most significant in the early moments of Wednesday's 10-hour-long hearing schedule. The Army, PSA Airlines, a regional subsidiary of American Airlines which operated the plane, the Federal Aviation Administration and other parties are represented. 'This is not an adversarial hearing,' NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said in her opening remarks. 'This does not mean difficult questions won't be asked. They will be, and they should be. This is an investigation. We are here to improve safety.' At the start of the hearing, an 11-minute animation was shown detailing the minutes leading up to the collision and a video of the accident itself. The board paused briefly to allow any of the family members of the victims of the crash to leave the room or look away before it was played. The air traffic controller working in the control tower that night was responsible for two different positions on two different radio channels, the timeline animation reveled. The captain of the regional jet had completed 106 flights into the airport and the first officer had completed 51, records reviewed by NTSB showed. However, investigators said interviews with PSA Airline's pilots showed they generally didn't know much about the helicopter routes in the area. Three Reagan National Airport-based captains and one first officer were asked about their knowledge of published helicopter routes and only one PSA captain – who was a former military helicopter pilot in the region – had knowledge of the routes prior to the accident. Sixty-seven people died in the accident over the Potomac River, including 60 passengers and four crew on the plane and three soldiers on the helicopter. The NTSB will meet Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to discuss the facts learned in the investigation. It is expected to conclude with a determination of what caused the crash in January.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Yahoo
Buckle Up: These Are The Most Turbulent Airports In The US, According To Pilots And Data
If your last flight into Denver felt more like a rollercoaster than a smooth descent, you're not alone. According to a new ranking by aviation site Denver International Airport (DEN) tops the list of most turbulent major airports in the United States - and pilots say the ranking is well deserved. Coming in just behind Denver are Bozeman (BZN), Albuquerque (ABQ), Salt Lake City (SLC), and Jackson Hole (JAC) - all located in or near mountainous terrain known to stir up unpredictable, and at times downright bumpy, flying conditions. 'Denver hosts a whole set of challenges,' said Ryan Tseko, an experienced pilot who's flown everything from Cessnas to CRJ-700 jets. 'There's a lot of wind, a lot of weather, snow and rain and everything else.' Senior meteorologist Jonathan Belles notes that the city is located in what's known by experts as the Denver Convergence Vorticity Zone, an area where air comes together and spins, and sometimes produces tornadoes and landspouts. Add to that the city's sudden changes in elevation - flat terrain to the east and rising Rockies to the west - and you've got a perfect recipe for turbulent skies. 'When you're flying over those mountains,' explains Tseko from a pilot's perspective, 'All of that wind, all of that weather is riding up those ridges, and it actually is forcing that air up. And so when you're flying over the top of those mountains, that's where you're gonna get more turbulence compared to other flat areas.' And that's not all. 'Denver obviously is known as the 'Mile High City,' so it adds another component to it too, because your atmospheric pressure is a lot higher than if you're landing at sea level,' he points out. Tseko, who got his start flying at 17 and regularly flew 1,000 hours each year, calls turbulence the ultimate test for pilots. 'There's a lot of things you're managing already. You're managing the crew members, you're managing the flight attendants, you're managing the passengers, you're managing air traffic control,' he said. 'In wind, it just adds that one more component where it's a higher stress level.' He compares landing in turbulence to 'riding a mechanical bull,' where pilots are fighting to keep the aircraft steady, but wants passengers to know that a bumpy landing doesn't mean the pilot messed up. In fact, it often means they nailed it. 'If it's a really windy day, what happens is you're crabbing, you're coming in to land, you're pushing on the rudder, you're getting that airplane straight so it's down the center line,' he explains. 'But then actually, if the wind's coming out of the left, you actually want to tilt the airplane a little bit to the left and so your wing is into the wind. So if the pilot lands on the wheel that the wind is coming from, that means the pilot actually did a great job.' According to Tseko, turbulence is categorized into light, moderate, and severe: 'Light is pretty normal, you know, it's a few bumps, a few bounces.' 'When it gets to moderate, it's constant, you know, you're hitting multiple bumps, it's moving the airplane around more and more and more. People start to feel uncomfortable.' 'Severe is very rare. I've never encountered severe, and I hope most people have never encountered severe,' Tseko adds, 'It's actually a very dangerous situation and the airplane has to be inspected when you land.' Turbli used forecasting data from NOAA and the UK Met Office to compile their list, taking into account the highest measurements of turbulence during a plane's approach and descent (as opposed to during takeoff or landing, which can be affected by other factors). Denver International Airport (DEN) – Mile-high elevation, mountainous terrain, and fast-changing weather make this the bumpiest ride. Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) – Nestled in Montana's mountain country, Bozeman often sees gusty winds and dramatic air currents. Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ) – Hot air and surrounding desert terrain lead to strong updrafts and rough descents. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) – Mountain winds and lake-effect weather create turbulence even on sunny days. Jackson Hole Airport (JAC) – Located inside Grand Teton National Park, this scenic landing can be as rough as it is beautiful. So if you're flying into any of these destinations soon, brace yourself and trust your pilot. As Tseko puts it: 'Some of my best landings are in windy conditions because you're just Johnny-on-the-spot. You have to be on your game,' adding 'As a pilot, you just have to deal with it and manage it in the way that you were trained to do it.' lead editor Jenn Jordan explores how weather and climate weave through our daily lives, shape our routines and leave lasting impacts on our communities. MORE ON Expert Travel Hacks For Weather-Safe, Crowd Free Trips Here's How To Avoid Summer Flight Delays And The World's Best Connected Airport Is…
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Army helicopter taking 'scenic route' causes two planes to change course in yet another incident near Reagan National
Three months after the deadliest aviation disaster in more than two decades, two passengers planes were forced to abort their landings at Reagan National Airport after an Army Black Hawk helicopter veered off course. The two commercial airliners were both forced into last-second go-arounds on Thursday afternoon when the Army aircraft deviated from its approved flight path flying dangerously close to the arriving passenger jets. The incident is particularly alarming given its parallels to the January disaster in which another Army Black Hawk collided midair with an American Eagle CRJ-700, killing 67 people in the worst US aviation accident since 2001. This time, Delta flight DL5825, from Boston, operated by a Republic Airways Embraer EMB-170, was on final approach, descending through around 450 feet, when the crew was instructed to go around. Immediately following them was Delta flight DL1671, from Orlando, flown by an Airbus A319. The aircraft was also on final approach and descending through around 700 feet when its crew was also instructed to go around. The proximity was chilling with as little as 0.4 miles horizontally and just 200 feet vertically between one of the commercial jets and the Black Hawk, according to an FAA email obtained by Politico. Both planes were on final approach when air traffic controllers ordered them to abort their landings around 2:30pm at the crowded Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C. 'The helicopter took a scenic route around the Pentagon versus proceeding directly from the west to the heliport,' FAA official Chris Senn wrote in an internal memo. He classified the event as a 'loss of separation,' an official term for a breach of the minimum distance required between aircraft - and a potentially catastrophic safety violation. The Federal Aviation Administration released a formal statement confirming the close call and said that it had launched a full investigation. 'Air traffic control instructed Delta Air Lines Flight 1671 and Republic Airways Flight 5825 to perform go-arounds at the Reagan Washington National Airport due to a Priority Air Transport helicopter inbound to the Pentagon Army Heliport.' The National Transportation Safety Board also issued its own terse update. 'NTSB investigating Thursday's incidents at Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in which a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170 were instructed by air traffic control to perform go-arounds due to a US Army Black Hawk helicopter inbound to the Pentagon.' When contacted, the Army said it was 'aware of yesterday's incident,' but referred further questions to the Military District of Washington, which oversees Army operations in the capital. The Pentagon has not yet commented publicly, although sources confirmed that it was the same aviation brigade involved in the January 29 fatal Black Hawk crash that was behind Thursday's near miss. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy didn't mince words after being briefed on the near-miss There is rising public anger over repeated lapses in safety protocols - especially in one of the nation's most complex and crowded airspaces Reagan National airport is one of the busiest airports in the country and stretched to its limit In the January crash, investigators discovered the military helicopter's Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) system - which tracks altitude, speed, and position - had been turned off, likely due to outdated Army policies that required commander approval for broadcast activation during 'sensitive' missions. In March, Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman admitted during a Senate hearing that the Army's ADS-B usage policy was 'inconsistent,' prompting bipartisan condemnation. At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller at Reagan Airport was simultaneously monitoring both the helicopter and plane traffic. The Army has warned against placing any blame prematurely. 'It is irresponsible to take snippets of information and present them in a way that casts blame on any individual or group,' the Army said in a statement to the New York Times. 'The events of January 29th were tragic, and the Army is committed to a full and thorough investigation that will provide fact-based conclusions so we can ensure an accident such as this is never repeated.' In Thursday's incident, the Black Hawk was broadcasting ADS-B, but even that wasn't enough to prevent complete confusion in the control tower. According to FAA official Senn, the helicopter's radar 'floated and jumped to a different location on the controller feed after being unresponsive for a couple seconds.' That radar glitch occurred just as the Republic Airways flight was 1.7 miles from the runway. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy didn't mince words after being briefed on the near-miss. 'This is unacceptable,' Duffy declared on X. 'The helicopter restrictions around Reagan are crystal clear. I'll be speaking to the Department of Defense to ask why the hell our rules were disregarded.' He added: 'No more helicopter rides for VIPs or unnecessary training in congested DCA airspace full of civilians. Take a taxi or Uber - besides, most VIPs have black car service.' While Thursday's flight was reportedly part of a training exercise, not a VIP transport, Duffy's fury captured the rising public anger over repeated lapses in safety protocols - especially in one of the nation's most complex and crowded airspaces. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), chair of the powerful Senate Commerce Committee, issued a scathing rebuke on Friday afternoon. 'It is outrageous that only three months after an Army Black Hawk helicopter tragically collided with a passenger jet, the same Army brigade again flew a helicopter too close to passenger jets on final approach.' Cantwell demanded the Pentagon and FAA prioritize airspace security and called the latest breach 'an unforgivable error that put civilian lives at risk.' According to FAA data, the Army helicopter had been cleared for a direct path to the Pentagon helipad but inexplicably opted for a 'scenic route' around the Pentagon, triggering a host of airspace complications for multiple aircraft already cleared to land. Air traffic controllers were forced to act fast and bot aircraft aborted their landings. They had circled back around for a safe landing around 10 minutes later. Although no passengers were harmed, the incident has once again sent shockwaves through aviation circles. Behind the scenes, multiple sources confirm that controllers were stretched thin, even as the tower had a full team on duty: one supervisor, four certified professional controllers, and a trainee. But as air traffic becomes increasingly complex, with layered restrictions, drone zones, VIP operations, and military activity, the system appears to be showing signs of strain. Reagan National has been understaffed for many years, with just 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress. The situation appeared to have improved since then, as a source told CNN the Reagan National control tower was 85 percent staffed with 24 of 28 positions filled. revealed in March that two air traffic controllers had even traded punches when a fight erupted inside the control tower at Reagan National. The airspace around the busy airport is often filled with domestic flights and military aircraft that regularly experience close calls. Recent incidents at Reagan also include a near collision in May 2024 involving an American Airlines plane that was cleared for takeoff as an incoming King Air plane had been cleared for landing on a nearby runway. The month prior, another near-miss occurred between JetBlue and Southwest planes that nearly collided on a runway. In 2024 alone, the airport experienced at least eight near-midair collisions, according to Federal Aviation Administration data reported by the The New York Times reported.
USA Today
11-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Congress members' flight gets a surprise nudge on Washington National Airport tarmac
Congress members' flight gets a surprise nudge on Washington National Airport tarmac Show Caption Hide Caption NTSB releases report on DCA collision, gives urgent recommendations The NTSB released a preliminary report on the DCA collision between a plane and helicopter in January while giving urgent recommendations to the FAA. Two American Airlines regional jets clipped their wings on the ground at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Thursday afternoon. American Airlines confirmed the incident in a statement to USA TODAY and said there were no reports of injuries on either flight. "American Eagle flight 5490, operated by PSA Airlines, made contact on a DCA taxiway with American Eagle flight 4522, operated by Republic Airways. Safety is our top priority, and we apologize to our customers for their experience," the airline said in a statement. According American, AA5490, was scheduled to fly from DCA to Charleston, South Carolina. There were 76 customers and four crewmembers onboard, according to the airline, and the flight was operated by a CRJ-700, according to FlightAware. Flight AA4522 was scheduled to fly from DCA to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York with 67 customers and four crewmembers onboard, according to American. FlightAware shows it was being operated by an Embraer 175. According to American Airlines, both planes received damage to their winglets, which are features on the end of the wing to improve the aircraft's aerodynamics. The airline said the jets taxied back to the terminal to offload passengers and were taken out of service for maintenance inspections. The airline's statement added that passengers would be reaccommodated on replacement aircraft. At least two Congressional representatives from New York appear to have been on one of the planes, according to social media post from Nick LaLota, R-N.Y and Grace Meng, D-N.Y. NBC News reported there were five lawmakers on the flight. DCA in focus Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has been central to a discussion of aviation safety in the U.S. in recent months. In January, it was the site of the first deadly U.S. aircraft crash in nearly 16 years when an Army Black Hawk Helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet operated by PSA Airlines as the plane was preparing to land at DCA. Then, a Delta Air Lines jet and an Air Force plane had a close call in March near the airport as well. The Federal Aviation Administration has tightened the regulations for mixed-use airspace in the airport's vicinity, essentially closing off the helicopter corridor used during January's crash. Meanwhile, as the NTSB and FAA continue investigating incidents, the FAA recently announced changes and more resources for air traffic controllers in the DCA tower. FAA staffing across the country has been under scrutiny for years, with the agency saying it does not have a full roster in most of its facilities. The Trump administration has promised to increase hiring for air traffic controllers but has also enacted layoffs across other roles in the agency. (This story was updated to add new information.) Zach Wichter is a travel reporter and writes the Cruising Altitude column for USA TODAY. He is based in New York and you can reach him at zwichter@
Saudi Gazette
03-04-2025
- General
- Saudi Gazette
Passengers evacuate American Airlines jet after burning odor and smoke in cabin
AUGUSTA — Passengers evacuated an American Airlines regional jet on the runway Tuesday in Augusta, Georgia, after smelling something burning and seeing light smoke in the cabin. American Flight 5406, operated by PSA Airlines landed in Augusta after a 36-minute flight from Charlotte, according to flight tracking site FlightAware. 'The cabin was filled with smoke, and we climbed out on the wing,' passenger Sean O'Conor narrated as he recorded video of the evacuation. 'It looks like everybody is safe.' The CRJ-900 aircraft experienced 'a maintenance issue after landing safely in Augusta,' the airline told CNN. 'All passengers deplaned and were escorted to the airport terminal. The safety of our customers is our top priority, and we apologize for the inconvenience.' The return flight to Charlotte on the plane was canceled, but that aircraft was back in service Wednesday, according to FlightAware. On Wednesday, a different plane flying the same route from Charlotte to Augusta also experienced a mechanical issue, American Airlines told CNN. That aircraft, a CRJ-700, circled and returned to Charlotte after about 20 minutes in the air, according to FlightAware. Three hours later, it took off again and made it safely to Augusta. — CNN
