DC Airport Near-Misses Highlight Pre-Crash Oversights

When Congress advanced with legislation to introduce 10 additional daily flights to Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. last year, alarming safety data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was overlooked by lawmakers. This information detailed numerous near misses in the already congested airspace, something that apparently eluded the attention of Congress at the time.
The FAA, responsible for managing the nation’s airspace and ensuring aviation safety, possessed records of several incidents highlighting significant safety concerns. However, no remedial measures were taken until after a tragic midair collision in January, which involved an American Airlines jetliner and a military helicopter, claiming 67 lives.
James Hall, former chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, questioned why the incidents had not been addressed sooner and emphasized the necessity of responding to such warning signs. The data revealed that these close calls at Reagan National were occurring more frequently than most travelers and aviation experts realized. The airport, originally constructed to manage 15 million annual passengers, was handling around 25 million.
Now, bereaved families and safety experts are demanding answers as to why these alarming figures did not prompt earlier action. According to the NTSB, pilots faced alerts to avoid helicopter collisions at least once monthly from 2011 through 2024, with 85 documented near misses where aircraft came alarmingly close.
Doug Lane, who lost his wife and son in the crash, expressed disbelief that such a scenario wasn’t adequately addressed. The complicated airspace around Reagan National, with its proximity to military zones and restricted areas, posed longstanding concerns among pilots.
In response to the tragedy, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed frustration over the FAA’s inaction. Duffy announced steps to restrict certain helicopter flights near the airport, echoing changes temporarily imposed after the crash.
Mary Schiavo, a former inspector general at the Department of Transportation, criticized the FAA’s complacency, stating that waiting for a disaster before taking action was unacceptable. Meanwhile, in Kansas, officials argued that the FAA’s data should have been more publicly accessible, highlighting the public’s right to information that potentially affects their safety.
The airport currently supports a high volume of daily flights, with Congress having added 64 since 2000, despite concerns raised by local authorities. The debate surrounding additional flights came to the forefront last year when Congress decided to permit an extra ten daily flights, despite opposition from Virginia’s Democratic senators. These concerns were underscored by an earlier near-collision event.
FAA’s approach to managing the air traffic at overburdened airports, including Reagan National, has drawn scrutiny, particularly as Dulles Airport, with greater capacity, offers an alternative yet less convenient option for federal employees and lawmakers.
Mike McCormick, an expert with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, noted that congestion likely contributed to the deadly collision, emphasizing that the American Airlines flight was diverted to a busier runway closer to helicopter operations.
The American Airlines flight from Wichita, inaugurally linked in early 2024, was not part of the newly added slots but was instead introduced in collaboration with Kansas officials, signifying the strategic importance of connecting the capital with key cities.
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids suggested that discussions surrounding the accident’s cause and airspace congestion are separate issues at present, though many seek to establish a connection.
In conclusion, with aviation safety now under a spotlight, regulatory bodies and Congress face growing pressure to address flight capacity concerns to prevent future tragedies.