A serious staffing issue in the air traffic control tower at Washington’s Reagan National Airport may have played a role in the deadly mid-air collision between a passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter, according to a report by The New York Times.
Too Few Air Traffic Controllers on Duty
At the time of the tragic accident on Wednesday night, there were fewer air traffic controllers than usual in the tower. According to an internal safety report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the number of staff was “not normal for the time of day and the amount of air traffic.”
Normally, two controllers should be assigned to handle different duties:
One controller for helicopters in the area
Another controller for airplanes landing and taking off
However, that night, one single controller was handling both jobs at the same time.
Investigators Searching for Answers
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the crash. They have not yet determined the cause of the accident, and they are urging the public not to speculate until all the facts are gathered.
NTSB board member Todd Inman said during a press briefing on Thursday that it is too early to draw conclusions about what went wrong.
What Happened During the Crash?
The collision occurred at around 9:00 PM on Wednesday as an American Airlines Bombardier jet was preparing to land after a flight from Wichita, Kansas.
The passenger jet and the Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into each other, causing the plane to plunge into the Potomac River. All 67 people onboard were killed, making this the deadliest U.S. air disaster in over 20 years.
Why Was the Airspace So Busy?
Reagan National Airport is located very close to downtown Washington, D.C., the White House, and the Pentagon. The airspace is always active with a mix of commercial flights, military aircraft, and helicopters flying in and out.
Experts say that at certain times of the day, air traffic controllers have to handle multiple radio frequencies depending on the situation.
Sometimes, they handle just one frequency (less stressful)
Other times, they manage two or more at once (very challenging)
That night, at 9:00 PM, air traffic was starting to slow down, but controllers were still responsible for multiple aircraft at the same time.
Experts Warn Against Speculation
Hassan Shahidi, CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation, said it is still too early to blame the crash on any one issue.
“There are different shifts of air traffic controllers, and they are assigned based on the level of air traffic at different times of the day,” he explained.
Investigators will now analyze:
The black boxes from both aircraft
Air traffic radio recordings
The staffing situation in the control tower
Any technical failures
Until the full investigation is complete, officials are urging patience in uncovering what truly happened that night.
