Delta Airlines plane is towed in preparation for takeoff at Reagan National Airport after an American Airlines plane crashed on its approach to the airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia.
Tasos Katopodis | Getty Images
On Tuesday, the National Road Safety Commission issued an urgent call to permanently restrict helicopter flights in certain areas around the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport following the fatal collision of a passenger plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter in January.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said at a press conference that the existing separation between aircraft, which operates near the airport and one of the runways, where 33 aircraft arrive at the aircraft, “substantial risks to aviation safety by increasing the likelihood of air collisions at the DCA.”
She said the agency responsible for crash investigations recommends that the Federal Aviation Administration “permanently” ban helicopters from operating on certain routes at certain times when two of the airport runways are in use.
Additionally, the NTSB recommends alternative helicopter routes when some of the airspace is closed, so air traffic controllers are not overloaded as “may increase risk.”
Air collision on January 29th American Airlines The regional jet with the Army Black Helicopter killed all 64 people and three crew members of the helicopter on the plane. The plane was a little far from landing at the airport.
After the collision, the FAA restricted helicopter traffic around the airport as a precaution. The airspace is home to commercial flights and numerous military and VIP helicopter traffic in the area.
After an NTSB press conference on Tuesday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the agency was accepting the safety committee’s recommendations.
