A fatal collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army helicopter at Reagan National Airport Wednesday night is being investigated. Aviation attorney Jim Brauchle, who represents families of victims in aviation disasters, points to the airport's congestion and a history of near misses as potential contributing factors.
The tragic collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter at Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night was likely a confluence of factors, according to aviation attorney Jim Brauchle. Brauchle, a former U.S. Air Force navigator who now represents families of victims involved in aviation disasters, including the 2019 Boeing 737 Max 8 crash and a 2014 Army Black Hawk helicopter crash, stated that many in the aviation industry had predicted such an accident.
While no one wants to voice such a grim possibility, Brauchle emphasized that there have been numerous near misses in recent years, and we have been fortunate to avoid more catastrophic incidents. The collision occurred around 9 p.m. EST when a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, en route from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while approaching Runway 33 at Reagan National Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the incident. According to American Airlines, the jet carried 60 passengers and four crew members, while the military reported three soldiers aboard the Army helicopter. As of Thursday morning, officials announced that no survivors were expected after an extensive search-and-rescue operation in the frigid waters of the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia. Brauchle outlined several measures aircraft utilize to prevent midair collisions, particularly at the bustling Reagan National Airport. These include transponders and traffic collision avoidance systems, commonly equipped on commercial aircraft, communication with air traffic control, and 'seeing and avoid,' where pilots actively scan for other aircraft and obstacles. Brauchle stressed that keeping a lookout for obstacles is more challenging than it appears. He explained that, having flown at night and attempted to identify traffic, most people would underestimate the difficulty. In an urban environment like Washington, D.C., or northern Virginia, pilots might rely on seeing anti-collision or landing lights instead of the aircraft itself, particularly at night. However, the presence of various ambient lights from tall buildings and towers can make distinguishing aircraft lights challenging. According to Brauchle, preliminary audio reports indicated that the helicopter pilot reported having the aircraft in sight. He speculated that they may have misidentified another object, such as a tower light or another aircraft taking off, as the plane. Brauchle noted that in such situations, the more maneuverable aircraft is typically expected to alter its course to avoid the slower aircraft. However, he characterized this case as unique, as both aircraft appeared to be on their designated routes. He pointed out that even if both aircraft were precisely where they should be, the separation between them was minimal, only a couple of hundred feet. He explained that any slight altimeter error or deviation in altitude could easily bring the aircraft into the same airspace. Reagan National Airport manages a high volume of commercial, private, and military traffic within a relatively confined airspace. This, combined with the extensive restricted airspace around Washington, D.C., due to national security concerns, creates a highly congested environment, according to Brauchle. The cause of the collision remains under investigation hours after the incident. A large contingent of first responders conducted a massive search-and-rescue operation, which unfortunately transitioned into a recovery mission Thursday morning
AIRPLANE CRASH AIRPORT COLLISION AVIATION SAFETY REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT MILITARY HELICOPTER AMERICAN AIRLINES
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