The air traffic control service at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is imagined, in the results of the crash of American Eagle trip 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter that collapsed right into the Potomac River, as seen from Virginia onJan 30, 2025.
Evelyn Hockstein|Reuters
WASHINGTON– The Federal Aviation Administration will certainly limit helicopter website traffic around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C., after the deadly crash of Army Black Hawk helicopter with an American Airlines jetliner previously today, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated Friday.
“Today’s decision will immediately help secure the airspace near Reagan Airport, ensuring the safety of airplane and helicopter traffic,” Duffy stated in apost on social media site X “The American people deserve full confidence in our aviation system and today’s action is a significant step towards restoring that trust.”
The limited location consists of Memorial Bridge to South Capitol Street Bridge, omitting the Tidal Basin; Haines Point to Wilson Bridge; and the airspace over the airport terminal, Duffy stated in the article.
National Transportation Safety Board participant Todd Inman stated at a rundown Thursday mid-day that helicopters run in areas, or tracks, inWashington “This one was transitioning from track one to four as part of their normal procedure,” he stated. “If you live in D.C., you see a lot of helicopters going down into this area. So there’s a very well-defined system.”
American Eagle Flight 5342 was secs far from touchdown at Reagan National Airport when it rammed the Army helicopter on Wednesday evening. All 64 individuals aboard the aircraft and all 3 individuals on the helicopter passed away. It was the very first lethal airline collision in the united state in greater than 15 years and the most dangerous considering that 2001.
American Airlines CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Robert Isom stated Thursday that it was unclear “why the military aircraft came into the path” of its airplane. On Friday, Isom given thanks to President Donald Trump “for his leadership on aviation safety. I applaud him, Secretary Duffy and the Administration for taking quick and decisive action today to restrict helicopter activity around DCA.”
Investigators on Friday proceeded their examination, considering elements such as the elevation of the airplane, staffing and interaction with air website traffic controllers.
The American Airlines aircraft, a local CRJ700 that was showing up from Wichita, Kansas, was flying at regarding 300 feet on its last strategy when it rammed the Black Hawk.
According to FAA regulations, helicopters, which regularly go across via and around Washington, in between armed forces bases, the Pentagon and various other areas, should fly in the location near to the airport terminal at an optimum of 200 feet
