Air traffic control employees at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) are often forced to “make it work” with limited resources, Federal Aviation Administration officials said during the second day of the National Transportation Safety Board’s hearing into a fatal January crash.
Sixty-seven people died after an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet on January 29 over the Potomac River close to Washington. It was the deadliest U.S. aviation accident in decades.
The NTSB launched a probe into the tragedy, which includes a three-day investigative hearing taking place this week. Here are some major takeaways.
Preliminary investigative results released shortly after the accident showed the FAA was aware of ongoing risks at the airport, particularly with military aircraft, but did not take action before the crash, the NTSB alleged.
Other issues with DCA included airspace congestion and a shortage of air traffic controllers.
