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A top US official has openly criticized the Department of Defense after an Army Black Hawk helicopter disrupted commercial air traffic near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Some shit you should know before you read: If you’re unaware, last week a US Army Black Hawk helicopter disrupted commercial air traffic near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after veering off its direct route to the Pentagon and flying what officials described as a “scenic route” around the Pentagon. The incident occurred around 2:30 p.m. and involved the helicopter approaching the heliport in a way that conflicted with the flight paths of two incoming commercial aircraft — Delta Flight 1671 and Republic Airways Flight 5825. As a result, air traffic controllers issued urgent “go-around” instructions to both planes to prevent a potential collision. The closest proximity recorded was just 0.4 miles and 200 feet of vertical separation between the helicopter and one of the jets.
What’s going on now: In response to the near miss at Reagan National Airport, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy criticized the Pentagon and its handling of helicopter operations near civilian airspace. He said, “Unacceptable. Our helicopter restrictions around DCA are crystal clear. No more helicopter rides for VIPs or unnecessary training in a congested DCA airspace full of civilians. Take a taxi or Uber — besides most VIPs have black car service.“
Duffy announced that, in addition to ongoing investigations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), he would personally speak with the Department of Defense to find out “why the hell our rules were disregarded.” He added, “The airspace around DCA is some of the most congested and controlled in the country — there’s no excuse for this.”
Echoing Duffy’s anger, lawmakers from both parties demanded accountability. Senator Ted Cruz said, “I believe it’s time for the FAA to act swiftly and assert control over the national airspace so the Army stops running air taxis for military officials near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.” Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell called the incident “outrageous,” noting it involved the same Army brigade that caused the fatal January crash. Senator Jerry Moran added, “The Army and FAA need to reevaluate their operations and return to Capitol Hill to explain what needs to be done to make certain the DCA airspace is safe.”
This all comes after a midair collision on January 29 that killed 67 people, marking the deadliest US aviation accident in nearly two decades. The crash occurred when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 at approximately 300 feet of altitude as the passenger jet was approaching Reagan National Airport. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the helicopter was on a training mission and was part of the same Army unit involved in last week’s near miss.
