Early Departure of Air Traffic Controller Linked to Deadly Midair Collision

Reports indicate that a supervisor granted an air traffic controller at Ronald Reagan National Airport an early dismissal shortly before a tragic incident occurred, where a passenger jet collided with an Army helicopter. This collision led to both aircraft falling into the frigid waters of the Potomac River just before 9 p.m. on Wednesday, with all 64 individuals onboard the American Airlines regional jet and three soldiers from the Black Hawk helicopter presumed dead.

Sources shared that typically two controllers would monitor the air traffic of both planes and helicopters, but on that fateful night, only one controller was managing the airspace. The Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) confirmed in a preliminary report that this single controller was responsible for tasks usually handled by two, a situation exacerbated by a supervisor merging their roles before the standard changeover time of 9:30 p.m. The FAA noted that staffing at that hour was below acceptable levels given the traffic volume.

Investigators are delving into various factors regarding the crash, including potential issues with air traffic staffing. New information suggests there may have been irregularities in the helicopter's flight path, raising questions about whether it was operating above the designated airspace. According to reports, radio communications from the evening of the incident revealed that the lone controller alerted the helicopter crew about their proximity to the passenger plane.

Moreover, reports indicate that the helicopter may have been flying too high and outside of its permitted flight path at the time of the collision, being over 300 feet when it should have been below 200 feet. It is also suggested that the helicopter was off its approved course by at least half a mile as it approached the aircraft carrying 64 passengers.

Officials investigating the matter have stated that the pilots of the helicopter were familiar with the route and the associated airspace restrictions. In response to the crash, the FAA announced new limitations on helicopter flights near Reagan National Airport, which will remain in effect indefinitely. Restrictions will now only allow police and medical helicopters within the vicinity of the airport.

The bodies of the three soldiers aboard the helicopter have been retrieved from the wreckage, among whom Crew Chief Ryan O’Hara from Georgia and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves from Mississippi have been identified. Both black boxes from the passenger plane have been successfully recovered from the Potomac River and are now undergoing examination in specialized labs.