Additional Coverage:
- D.C. Plane Crash Live Updates: Reagan Air Traffic Control Tower Was Reportedly Understaffed (newsbreak.com)
New Airspace Restrictions After Fatal Helicopter-Plane Crash Near Reagan Airport
Following Wednesday’s tragic mid-air collision between a military helicopter and a passenger jet near Ronald Reagan National Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced new airspace restrictions. Only police and medical helicopters will be permitted to fly between the airport and nearby bridges.
The crash, which claimed 67 lives, has prompted a thorough investigation. Recovery efforts continue, hampered by rainy conditions. Divers are searching for remaining bodies and wreckage.
The FAA is facing scrutiny over staffing levels at the air traffic control tower at the time of the incident. Preliminary reports suggest a single controller was managing both helicopter and airplane traffic, a duty typically handled by two people. However, other sources dispute this, stating staffing was at normal levels.
Further complicating matters, the FAA reportedly sent out buyout offers to employees, including air traffic controllers, the day after the crash. This move comes amidst ongoing staffing shortages within the agency.
Newly released video footage provides a clearer picture of the collision. President Trump commented that the helicopter was flying significantly higher than its designated path. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated the helicopter’s black box has yet to be recovered.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recovered the plane’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder. They have been sent to an NTSB lab for analysis. Authorities believe they have recovered all remains possible without moving the plane’s fuselage.
Among the victims were two Chinese nationals, a Filipino police official, and members of the U.S. Figure Skating team returning from a training camp.
This crash marks the first fatal U.S. commercial airliner accident since 2009 and the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. since 2001.