5 Major Concerns to Monitor During Investigation into DC Air Disaster
Airspace congestion, controller fatigue, and various related issues are at the forefront. Here’s what to understand as federal officials arrive at the Potomac River.
TroibNews 
The tragic collision between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has brought to light persistent safety gaps in American air travel, many of which have existed for years.
These issues include concerning fatigue and staffing shortages among air traffic controllers, outdated equipment utilized to prevent aviation accidents, and congressional gridlock that has led to insufficient funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In addition, the incident has raised new questions regarding air traffic congestion at Reagan National, a location favored by Congress due to its closeness to the Capitol, particularly given the volume of military helicopters in the vicinity. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Friday that helicopter traffic around the airport will be restricted, with only limited exceptions.
Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation safety consultant with extensive experience at the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA, noted, “The investigation into the disaster will surely reveal several contributing factors, and that’s what you need to attack ... to prevent the next accident from happening.”
As inquiries into the crash from Wednesday night commence, five key issues are crucial to understand:
1. **Helicopter Proximity Concerns**: Reagan National is notorious for its busy airspace and the cramped flight corridors for departures and arrivals. Military helicopters frequently navigate the area with a cap that restricts them to an altitude of 200 feet, according to aviation safety consultant John Cox, a former pilot and executive air safety chair for the Air Line Pilots Association. Helicopters must follow one of four designated routes, enabling jets landing on Runway 33—as was the case with the American Airlines aircraft during the crash—to ascend over them. Cox noted these flight paths have "been in use for decades, and it’s been done safely."
While the specific causes of the recent crash remain unclear, former President Donald Trump claimed responsibility lay with the Army helicopter, asserting in a post on X that it was “flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???” Representative Sam Graves, chair of the House Transportation Committee, echoed these concerns, suggesting the helicopter appeared to be flying higher than regulations allow. However, Cox cautioned that there is still no definitive information on this matter.
2. **Air Traffic Controller Shortages**: The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of air traffic controllers, compounded by chronic fatigue among those currently employed. A plan the FAA submitted to Congress last year indicated the workforce falls short by about 3,000 positions nationwide.
At Reagan National, there are 25 controllers currently on staff, along with three in training. The tower is permitted to have 28 controllers total. The pandemic further worsened the staffing problem due to a halt on training classes and the retirement of senior personnel. An independent report in 2023 criticized the FAA’s staffing replenishment strategy as outdated and unrealistic.
Graves acknowledged the staffing issue, but pointed out that the FAA’s recent hiring law has led to significant recruitment, with many controllers "in the pipeline.” The FAA recently reported surpassing its target for hiring 1,800 new controllers in 2024, marking the largest recruitment drive in nearly a decade.
The specific role of Reagan National controllers in the crash remains uncertain. An anonymous official with knowledge of tower operations claimed Wednesday’s staffing levels were sufficient. However, the decision to merge the responsibilities of two controllers into one—allowing one individual to monitor both airline and helicopter traffic—was made by a supervisor, a common practice after 9:30 p.m.; the crash occurred roughly 40 minutes before this time.
3. **Outdated Equipment**: The FAA's air traffic control centers and radar approach facilities desperately need modern upgrades. The 2023 independent report noted that some equipment is decades old, with elements dating back to pre-digital technology, limiting the scope for needed improvements. The report indicated that Congress shares some responsibility for making it challenging for the FAA to retire outdated equipment.
Following a complete grounding of domestic flights in January 2023 due to a computer failure, the FAA recognized that over a third of its 138 air traffic control systems in fiscal year 2023 were “unsustainable,” primarily due to funding shortages and a lack of spare parts. More than half of the affected systems had “critical operational impact on the safety and efficiency of the national airspace,” reported the Government Accountability Office.
Guzzetti stated the equipment issues stem from inconsistent FAA funding from Congress, which complicates project planning and is exacerbated by bureaucratic delays and rapid technological advancements.
4. **Increasing Near-Collisions**: In addition to controller issues, air travel demand has surged post-pandemic, leading to a rise in near-collision incidents that have alarmed regulators. In 2023, the U.S. experienced 11 near-collisions among commercial jets, a seven-year high and over twice the amount from the previous year. A particularly alarming event involved a FedEx cargo plane nearly landing on a Southwest Airlines jet in Austin, spurring greater scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, who led the Senate Commerce Committee’s aviation panel in the last Congress, previously attributed the troubling performance to a combination of workforce issues and increased congestion in airspace.
Efforts to improve runway safety have included establishing a new council under recent FAA legislation to investigate the causes of near-collisions and identify potential preventative measures.
5. **Vacancies at the FAA**: The FAA has faced challenges with leadership vacancies. The agency's recent administrator, Mike Whitaker, resigned after about a year in the position amidst various crises, including controller shortages and rising near-collisions. Whitaker encountered criticism from Elon Musk, who suggested he should resign amid tensions over proposed fines against Musk’s SpaceX for regulatory violations.
Musk wrote on X, “He needs to resign,” referring to Whitaker’s issues with SpaceX.
Whitaker’s resignation, effective Inauguration Day, marked a continuation of leadership instability at the FAA, which lacked a Senate-confirmed leader for 18 months prior to his appointment. The Biden administration’s initial choice for the position, Phil Washington, failed to secure confirmation amid concerns from Republican senators who cited his limited aviation experience.
As of now, Trump has not named a permanent FAA head but recently announced he would appoint Chris Rocheleau, a former FAA official and aviation association executive, to serve as acting administrator.
Jack Detsch and Oriana Pawlyk contributed to this report.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
These issues include concerning fatigue and staffing shortages among air traffic controllers, outdated equipment utilized to prevent aviation accidents, and congressional gridlock that has led to insufficient funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
In addition, the incident has raised new questions regarding air traffic congestion at Reagan National, a location favored by Congress due to its closeness to the Capitol, particularly given the volume of military helicopters in the vicinity. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced on Friday that helicopter traffic around the airport will be restricted, with only limited exceptions.
Jeff Guzzetti, an aviation safety consultant with extensive experience at the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA, noted, “The investigation into the disaster will surely reveal several contributing factors, and that’s what you need to attack ... to prevent the next accident from happening.”
As inquiries into the crash from Wednesday night commence, five key issues are crucial to understand:
1. **Helicopter Proximity Concerns**: Reagan National is notorious for its busy airspace and the cramped flight corridors for departures and arrivals. Military helicopters frequently navigate the area with a cap that restricts them to an altitude of 200 feet, according to aviation safety consultant John Cox, a former pilot and executive air safety chair for the Air Line Pilots Association. Helicopters must follow one of four designated routes, enabling jets landing on Runway 33—as was the case with the American Airlines aircraft during the crash—to ascend over them. Cox noted these flight paths have "been in use for decades, and it’s been done safely."
While the specific causes of the recent crash remain unclear, former President Donald Trump claimed responsibility lay with the Army helicopter, asserting in a post on X that it was “flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???” Representative Sam Graves, chair of the House Transportation Committee, echoed these concerns, suggesting the helicopter appeared to be flying higher than regulations allow. However, Cox cautioned that there is still no definitive information on this matter.
2. **Air Traffic Controller Shortages**: The FAA has long struggled with a shortage of air traffic controllers, compounded by chronic fatigue among those currently employed. A plan the FAA submitted to Congress last year indicated the workforce falls short by about 3,000 positions nationwide.
At Reagan National, there are 25 controllers currently on staff, along with three in training. The tower is permitted to have 28 controllers total. The pandemic further worsened the staffing problem due to a halt on training classes and the retirement of senior personnel. An independent report in 2023 criticized the FAA’s staffing replenishment strategy as outdated and unrealistic.
Graves acknowledged the staffing issue, but pointed out that the FAA’s recent hiring law has led to significant recruitment, with many controllers "in the pipeline.” The FAA recently reported surpassing its target for hiring 1,800 new controllers in 2024, marking the largest recruitment drive in nearly a decade.
The specific role of Reagan National controllers in the crash remains uncertain. An anonymous official with knowledge of tower operations claimed Wednesday’s staffing levels were sufficient. However, the decision to merge the responsibilities of two controllers into one—allowing one individual to monitor both airline and helicopter traffic—was made by a supervisor, a common practice after 9:30 p.m.; the crash occurred roughly 40 minutes before this time.
3. **Outdated Equipment**: The FAA's air traffic control centers and radar approach facilities desperately need modern upgrades. The 2023 independent report noted that some equipment is decades old, with elements dating back to pre-digital technology, limiting the scope for needed improvements. The report indicated that Congress shares some responsibility for making it challenging for the FAA to retire outdated equipment.
Following a complete grounding of domestic flights in January 2023 due to a computer failure, the FAA recognized that over a third of its 138 air traffic control systems in fiscal year 2023 were “unsustainable,” primarily due to funding shortages and a lack of spare parts. More than half of the affected systems had “critical operational impact on the safety and efficiency of the national airspace,” reported the Government Accountability Office.
Guzzetti stated the equipment issues stem from inconsistent FAA funding from Congress, which complicates project planning and is exacerbated by bureaucratic delays and rapid technological advancements.
4. **Increasing Near-Collisions**: In addition to controller issues, air travel demand has surged post-pandemic, leading to a rise in near-collision incidents that have alarmed regulators. In 2023, the U.S. experienced 11 near-collisions among commercial jets, a seven-year high and over twice the amount from the previous year. A particularly alarming event involved a FedEx cargo plane nearly landing on a Southwest Airlines jet in Austin, spurring greater scrutiny from lawmakers and regulators.
Senator Tammy Duckworth, who led the Senate Commerce Committee’s aviation panel in the last Congress, previously attributed the troubling performance to a combination of workforce issues and increased congestion in airspace.
Efforts to improve runway safety have included establishing a new council under recent FAA legislation to investigate the causes of near-collisions and identify potential preventative measures.
5. **Vacancies at the FAA**: The FAA has faced challenges with leadership vacancies. The agency's recent administrator, Mike Whitaker, resigned after about a year in the position amidst various crises, including controller shortages and rising near-collisions. Whitaker encountered criticism from Elon Musk, who suggested he should resign amid tensions over proposed fines against Musk’s SpaceX for regulatory violations.
Musk wrote on X, “He needs to resign,” referring to Whitaker’s issues with SpaceX.
Whitaker’s resignation, effective Inauguration Day, marked a continuation of leadership instability at the FAA, which lacked a Senate-confirmed leader for 18 months prior to his appointment. The Biden administration’s initial choice for the position, Phil Washington, failed to secure confirmation amid concerns from Republican senators who cited his limited aviation experience.
As of now, Trump has not named a permanent FAA head but recently announced he would appoint Chris Rocheleau, a former FAA official and aviation association executive, to serve as acting administrator.
Jack Detsch and Oriana Pawlyk contributed to this report.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
