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Irish Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
Mid-air crash between plane and helicopter 'would not happen' in Irish airspace
A deadly mid-air collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter in the US would never happen in Irish airspace, an air traffic controller has revealed. On January 29, a Black Hawk chopper crashed into an American Airlines jet over the Potomac River in Washington D.C. killing 67 people. The tragedy took place while the passenger plane was on its final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia at an altitude of about 100 metres and approximately 800 metres away from the tarmac. US media outlets have reported that the helicopter was flying too high and that chopper captain Rebecca Lobach did not listen to her co-pilot and flight instructor Andrew Loyd Eaves' calls to change course seconds before disaster struck. Before the crash, the helicopter pilots were informed there was an aircraft nearby and they then asked air traffic control if they could fly by "visual separation" - which was granted. This practice means those at the controls of the aircraft rely on their own visual observations to keep their distance from others using the airspace instead of using radar or other instruments. But Laura Downey, who has nine years of experience as an air traffic controller, says it couldn't happen in Ireland. Speaking to the Irish Mirror, she explained: "The procedures that we operate on, we wouldn't have planes that close to begin with. "Our operating procedures are different to the ones in the US, those two aircrafts would never be in such close proximity in the first place."
Bloomberg
05-05-2025
- General
- Bloomberg
US Army Puts Chopper Training Flights Around Pentagon on Pause
The US Army is suspending helicopter training flights around the Pentagon and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport as authorities investigate an incident last week that saw two passenger jets abort landings to avoid a Black Hawk in the area. An Army official confirmed the helicopter restrictions, first reported by Reuters, but added that the service is still conducting training out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The Federal Aviation Administration has permanently restricted non-essential helicopter operations near Reagan airport after a US Army helicopter collided midair with an American Airlines Group Inc. regional jet in January, killing 67 people.
Toronto Sun
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
Aborted landings due to Army helicopter near Reagan airport 'unacceptable'
Published May 02, 2025 • 1 minute read The air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen at sunset, Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, in Arlington, Va. Photo by Jose Luis Magana, file / AP Photo WASHINGTON — U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday that it is 'unacceptable' that two commercial aircrafts had to abort landings at a Washington airport this week because of an Army Black Hawk helicopter that was flying to the Pentagon. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account In addition to the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration investigating what happened Thursday, Duffy said, he plans to talk to the Department of Defense to determine why rules were 'disregarded.' The incident at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport involved a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170, according to the NTSB. They were instructed by air traffic control to 'perform go-arounds' because of the helicopter. 'Safety must ALWAYS come first,' Duffy said on the social platform X. 'We just lost 67 souls! No more helicopter rides for VIPs or unnecessary training in a congested DCA airspace full of civilians. Take a taxi or Uber — besides most VIPs have black car service.' The aborted landings follow a deadly midair collision in January between a passenger jet and Army helicopter in Washington that killed 67 people. Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell, ranking member of the Commerce Committee, which oversees the FAA, said about the Thursday incident that 'it is far past time' for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the FAA to 'give our airspace the security and safety attention it deserves.' Emma Johnson, a spokesperson for Delta Air Lines, said that the safety of their customers and all people is most important and that they'll 'cooperate with authorities as they investigate.' Republic Airways did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment from The Associated Press.
CBS News
30-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
No injuries after small plane veers off runway near Maryland airport
An investigation is underway after a small plane veered off the runway near the Bay Bridge Airport in Stevensville, Maryland, Queen Anne's County officials said in a statement Wednesday. The incident happened around noon Wednesday. "This morning, a four-seat Cirrus aircraft experienced an incident while landing at Bay Bridge Airport," county officials said. As the plane was landing, it veered off the side of the runway into a marshy area, coming to a stop partially in the water. The sole occupant of the aircraft was not injured, according to the county. The local fire department responded and cleared the scene. Federal and state authorities are conducting an investigation into the crash. There was no damage to the runway, but the airport will remain closed until the investigation is completed. Small plane crashes and aviation safety Talks of aviation safety have reignited in recent weeks, following a plane collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which left 67 people dead. On the night of Jan. 29, a passenger jet and a Black Hawk helicopter that collided in midair and crashed into the Potomac River. On Jan. 31, a medical jet crashed in Northeast Philadelphia, killing all six individuals aboard, and injuring 20 victims. In comparison, small plane crashes statistically happen more frequently than commercial plane crashes, experts told WUSA.
India Today
28-04-2025
- General
- India Today
Ignoring instructor, Army pilot's risky move led to deadly Washington crash: Report
A risky flying manoeuvre, a series of miscommunications, and ignoring her co-pilot's warnings led to the Black Hawk helicopter crashing into an American Airlines flight over the Potomac River in the US - resulting in the deaths of 67 people aboard, including all three members of the chopper - according to a report by The New York helicopter was flying at 278 feet, way above its permissible limit of 200 feet, while the plane - flying at an altitude of 313 feet - was heading towards runway 33 at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia when they collided mid-air at an altitude of about 300 feet at 8:48 pm (local time) on January 29, only was the Black Hawk flying too high, but in the final seconds before the crash, its pilot failed to heed a directive from her co-pilot, an Army flight instructor, to change course,' read the NYT report. The report further blames the air traffic controller for lacking both clarity and urgency in its communication with the Rebecca Lobach failed to follow her co-pilot and instructor Andrew Eaves's order to turn left in a bid to avoid the descending aircraft, ignoring his instructions just 15 seconds before the crash has also put additional focus on a flying manoeuvre - known as visual separation - which was deployed by the chopper, which was on an army training mission to take government officials to safety in case of an attack. Visual separation is often seen as a technique used by small aircraft and choppers to evacuate top government officials in case of an per the report, the visual separation technique was not executed properly. In visual separation, the pilot assumes the responsibility of detecting and steering clear of nearby air traffic rather than only depending on radar separation using radar surveillance - which is used to maintain a safe distance between aircrafts in a bid to avoid any practice has its limitations - poor visibility and limited range of vision from the cockpit, among others. Hence, it is allowed only under controlled air traffic control, visual separation means that air traffic controllers use the fact that pilots can see each other and their own aircraft to ensure that they are kept apart, rather than relying solely on radar separation. This method is used in controlled airspace, especially during approaches and departures, when visual separation is deemed two minutes before the crash, the air traffic controller had given the chopper permission for visual separation. From that moment on, the chopper had to rely more on its own visuals than on air control's instructions to avoid any to the report, the radio communications between the pilots and the controller broke down.20 seconds before the crash, the air-traffic controller asked if the chopper had spotted the American Airlines was the last recorded communication between the chopper and the air-traffic chopper and the aircraft collided shortly after, resulting in one of the worst crashes in US aviation history.
