A midair collision between an American Airlines plane and a US Army helicopter at Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport resulted in the deadliest US air disaster in nearly 25 years, claiming 67 lives. A preliminary FAA report suggests the staffing configuration at the time of the crash was unusual, with controllers potentially handling both planes and helicopters. While the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigates the cause, President Trump baselessly attributed the crash to diversity hires and political enemies, despite lacking evidence.
A short-staffed air traffic control centre managing a notoriously congested and difficult airspace may have contributed to the deadliest US air disaster in nearly 25 years.
They included 14 members of the figure skating community – six from one club in Boston – who had been at a camp for talented young skaters after the US championships in Wichita, Kansas, from where the Bombardier CRJ700 departed. The preliminary FAA document, reported by several US news agencies, said the staff set-up at the time of the crash was “not normal”. It was not clear how many staff members were on duty – only that at least one person was covering two positions, according to the reports.
But asked to provide evidence for these claims, Trump acknowledged there was none. “It just could have been,” he said. “We don’t know, but we do know you had two planes at the same level. That shouldn’t have happened.”
Aviation AIR DISASTER AVIATION SAFETY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL DIVERSITY STAFFING
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