Last year, Congress approved an additional 10 daily flights to Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport, overlooking the potential risks of increasing congestion in the already crowded airspace above the nation’s capital. Concerns were raised about safety, and Virginia’s senators pointed to a close call between two planes in April as a significant warning signal.
It wasn’t until this week, during the probe into the tragic January collision between an airliner and a military helicopter that resulted in 67 fatalities, that the full extent of frequent near misses at the airport came to light. Safety experts and families of the January 29 crash victims are now questioning why warnings went unheeded.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that pilots were frequently instructed to take evasive maneuvers to avoid helicopters, up to once a month, from 2011 through 2024. Data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) showed 85 incidents in recent years where aircraft came within just a few hundred feet of each other.
Doug Lane, whose wife and son were lost in the crash, expressed disbelief that such risky scenarios could persist without intervention. Pilots have long been wary of the complex airspace around the airport, which involves maneuvering around military zones and restricted areas. The NTSB’s findings serve as a startling confirmation of those suspicions.
Former NTSB chairman James Hall questioned why the numerous incidents went ignored. “There’s no excuse for overlooking so many warning signs,” he remarked. The FAA has yet to address their awareness of these air traffic encounters.
Both current NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy were frustrated by the oversight of close-call statistics. Duffy emphasized the failure of awareness and announced plans to restrict certain helicopter flights around the airport—a measure briefly implemented following the crash.
Mary Schiavo, a former inspector general for the U.S. Transportation Department, criticized the FAA’s lack of proactive safety measures, stating, “They wait for disaster to strike.” This negligence exacerbates the grief of those who lost loved ones in the tragedy.
The issue of Washington’s overcrowded airspace was highlighted last year when Congress debated an aviation bill permitting the additional flights despite strong opposition from Virginia Senators, Tim Kaine and Mark Warner. Although Kaine did not cite specific data, he indicated that congestion posed a significant risk.
While Congress approved the added flights, they had yet to commence before the January disaster. The FAA caps slots at major airports like Reagan National, LaGuardia, and JFK due to high demand. Yet, legislative directives often force additional slots at Reagan, despite Dulles Airport having ample capacity.
Mike McCormick of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University blamed the airport’s congestion for the midair collision, noting that air traffic control redirected the Kansas-bound American Airlines flight to a runway near helicopter traffic as a routine measure.
The Kansas-to-Washington service, initiated in early 2024, was supported by lawmakers who emphasized its importance in connecting the capital to a key aviation manufacturing region. U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids remarked that while the accident and Reagan’s congestion are linked issues, they remain distinct conversations. She stressed the NTSB has not yet made a formal connection between the two.
