Last week, National Public Radio (NPR), a nonprofit public broadcasting organization based in Washington, DC, released an analysis of the interaction between civilian and military aircraft in the capital. The report follows a mid-air collision involving an American Airlines regional jet and a Black Hawk military helicopter.
The incident occurred on January 29th when a Bombardier CRJ700, operating under American Eagle, collided with a US military helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The crash resulted in the aircraft landing in the Potomac River.
NPR’s report highlights that military aircraft are frequently involved in near-midair collisions around Reagan National Airport. Data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) shows that since 1987, there have been 30 reports of near-midair collisions at Reagan National, with at least 10 involving military aircraft and seven including military helicopters.
The FAA encourages pilots to self-report near-midair collision incidents to help prevent future accidents. Their database contains over 8,700 reports nationwide. In the airspace around Reagan National, 57% of these reports involve military aircraft compared to just 23% nationwide.
Mike McCormick, former FAA director of safety and operations and current associate professor at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, explained to NPR that specific helicopter routes designed for military use increase the likelihood of reported near-midair collisions in Washington’s airspace.
McCormick also discussed factors contributing to last week’s accident. He noted that complex flight operations and alternate runway landings can make it difficult for pilots to detect other aircraft. Additionally, nighttime conditions with many background lights may have contributed to visibility issues during the incident.
Despite concerns about congestion at Reagan National Airport, McCormick does not believe systemic problems exist between military and civilian flight operations. However, he mentioned potential changes might be forthcoming as investigations continue.
“I feel very confident that although the [NTSB] investigation is going to take some time,” McCormick said, “I know the FAA is already looking at this in a parallel investigation – to see if there’s anything they can do in the near term or immediately to mitigate the risk of an event like this.”
The National Transportation Safety Board will continue its investigation before delivering final assessments on the incident.
