Additional Coverage:
- Misplaced antenna caused military controllers to lose contact with Black Hawk near DCA: report (foxnews.com)
Near-Miss at Reagan National Prompts Review of Military Helicopter Operations
Just weeks after a fatal midair collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), two commercial airliners were forced to execute go-arounds to avoid a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.
The incident, which occurred on May 1, involved a Delta Air Lines Airbus A319 and a Republic Airways Embraer E170. Both aircraft were approaching DCA when they were instructed to abort their landings due to the presence of the Black Hawk, which was inbound to the Pentagon Army Heliport.
According to Brigadier General Matthew Braman, Director of Army Aviation, a temporary control tower antenna, improperly positioned, led to a 20-second loss of contact between military air traffic controllers and the helicopter. Although the Black Hawk was transmitting its location data, the FAA reported the information as “inconclusive.”
This discrepancy, according to Gen. Braman, caused confusion among air traffic controllers regarding the helicopter’s precise location.
The antenna has since been relocated to the Pentagon rooftop.
The Army maintains that the helicopter, which carried no passengers, was broadcasting its location continuously and adhered to approved flight paths. They assert the go-arounds were a precautionary measure.
However, initial reports suggested the incident could have been avoided had the Black Hawk taken a more direct route to the heliport. The Army refuted this claim, stating their internal review found no deviations from standard procedures.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed his concern on social media following the incident, questioning the adherence to helicopter restrictions around DCA and emphasizing the importance of prioritizing safety. Duffy also announced plans to modernize the air traffic control system, following recent outages, to improve safety and efficiency.
The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed an ongoing investigation into the May 1 incident. The FAA has not yet commented on the matter.