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How long had that controller been on duty? What other circumstances exist?
I think we need to wait for more info. Sending the previous home MAY have been a correct or normal decision given other circumstances.
It is my current understanding that Across the board FAA ATC is significantly understaffed due to low pay and overwork as particularly the adjustment for COL in certain parts of the country is not figured well. DC would be one of those places.
Ventresca up 7-0 after 2
Ventresca up first. Up 3-0
Another plane crash in Philly. Little details but it stated multiple casualties. Geesum I hope it's not another commuter plane.
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Well not only that but we joined the ACC 20 years ago BECAUSE of the equal revenue sharing after being screwed over in the Big East to the extent that we were.
Ironically, that is one of the reasons Miami joined as well. They felt unequal revenue sharing put too much pressure on them to never have a down year.
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Based on the information out so far, they're likely to find that the helicopter was flying higher than the allowed ceiling, and that when alerted to the plane (and after having acknowledged that he was aware of it), probably had identified the wrong one. The helicopter should have been aware of the active runway, so one wonders why he was located where he was.
The controller performed his role in this case. Maybe he could have noticed the issue sooner, but it was identified.
The NTSB report and recommendations will be very interesting here.
From The Limited knowledge we have, I do not see an indication that ATC functioned inappropriately. Moreso, its not clear to me that having more ATC on-duty would have necessarily changed the outcome. This ATC noted the traffic and was told twice by the Heli pilot that they had visual on the CRJ. It really is not ATC's job to second or third guess in this scenario. A basic tenet of VFR is continuous scanning by the pilot. My guess is that given the CRJ was on a decent path, he started above the Heli...I don't have direct knowledge of the cockpit of a Blackhawk but suspect overhead sightlines are limited. Even with that, the glideslope was gentle and its not like the CRJ came down on top of the Blackhawk.
To Alum's point above--DCA is in a very congested corridor, but for commercial flights it has Slot-Restrictions. That is only so many movements in and out per day per airline. For instance, Airline X can't announce tomorrow that they are starting new flights to DCA without re-allocting their own flights or purchasing slots from another airline. This was part of the Delta--Northwest merger where they were required to divest their DCA slots and they were sold to U.S. Airways (now American). DCA is also distance-restricted which is why there aren't West Coast-DCA flights.
It would thus seem logical enough that when heavy arrivals/departures are occurring--most airports schedule them so in "banks" that there should not be movement allowed thru the approach path(s) by other aircraft-particularly for a "training flight" that was not emergent in any way. Or at the very least, not at altitudes that might conflict.
The best way to solve a problem is to prevent it from having the possibility to exist in the first place.
Some preliminary information said one controller was working both planes and helicopters in area around airport. With two people maybe you are looking at more consistent communication with nearby helos, better call outs. Or since so much of the traffic is military integrate military ATC into the tower at DCA.
I don't doubt that more air traffic controllers might be needed, but there was an air traffic controller monitoring this, and he alterted the pilots regarding the issue.
The controller pointed out the issue to the pilots.
That job got done in this case.
That's why some of the others are up there...captive audience and no competition for the sports dollar.
One significant step would be increasing the number of air traffic controllers at DCA, where only 17 are currently assigned when at least 30 are needed. Better staffing and coordination could help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
This is an obvious place to start, and I suspect it's an issue at airports across the country. Frankly, it's unacceptable and pretty scary. My FIL manages the tower at a major US airport and has said they struggle with air traffic controller staffing.
The 2023 NYT article linked below stuck with me. FAA internal records show that close calls involving commercial airlines happen on average multiple times per week. Sadly, it was only a matter of time until a tragedy like this occurred and peoples' lives will continue to be put at risk unless serious changes are made.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/08/21/business/airline-safety-close-calls.html
the way I see it, the helicopter flew into the airplane's flight path at the wrong moment.
it's a tragic accident. The helicopter pilot is at fault, IMO. The controller asked the pilot twice if they had eyes on the incoming flight and both times the helicopter requested visual separation. Speculation, but in all likelihood the helicopter pilot had eyes on the wrong plane and just didn't see or wasn't aware of the plane that they collided with.
I had read that you were on the hook for tuition, books, board, etc. if you quit early.
At least at West Point anyway.
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MEH. 😕
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1 year 5 months
# | Notre Dame expected to play at least two of Clemson, Miami and FSU each season as part of new ACC/ESPN deal. Not if we start winning. Win and we're in, baby!
MEH. 😕
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1 year 5 months
# | Notre Dame expected to play at least two of Clemson, Miami and FSU each season as part of new ACC/ESPN deal. Can somebody just post the rankings, and what they say about Tech, from this paywalled article?
They probably both flew into each other, as they were both moving.
https://www.reuters.com/world/us/faa-restricting-helicopter-flights-near...
While this ban seems prudent in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, it's important to recognize why 11,000 military helicopter flights occurred annually in this airspace. The 12th Aviation Battalion, like the one involved in this accident, plays a critical role in transporting members of Congress and senior Army leaders, particularly in emergencies where continuity of government operations is essential. HMX-1, the Marine unit responsible for flying the president and vice president, also relies on this airspace. Restricting access without a clear long-term strategy could hinder essential operations.
That said, safety must be improved. One significant step would be increasing the number of air traffic controllers at DCA, where only 17 are currently assigned when at least 30 are needed. Better staffing and coordination could help prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Also it's important to acknowledge the swift and professional response by emergency crews that night in awful conditions doing awful work. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Fire and Rescue Department, DC Fire and EMS—with boats on scene within minutes—along with local and state agencies, played a crucial role in the rescue efforts. Eagle 1, the U.S. Park Police helicopter, also arrived quickly to assist. Their dedication and rapid action deserve recognition.
I've got this disease where I can't stop making airport puns. My doctor says its terminal.
small plane...initial reports of casualties on the ground as well