by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:20 AM ET, Wed March 12, 2025
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommended on
Tuesday that helicopter routes near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
be permanently banned following a deadly
crash in January.
According to ABCNews.com,
NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy issued the findings to the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), saying that helicopter operations near Reagan when
runways 15 and 33 are in operation should be moved to an alternative route.
Homendy said helicopters operating near the Washington D.C.
airport “pose an intolerable risk to aviation safety.” The NTSB found that
between October 2021 and December 2024, there were 15,214 close proximity
events between commercial airplanes and helicopters.
In response, Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary
Sean Duffy revealed that the federal agency would immediately follow the NTSB's
recommendations and keep helicopter restrictions in place. Duffy previously announced
a temporary
ban after the crash that was set to expire in March.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Geoff Freeman
issued the following statement on Secretary Duffy's press conference on the NTSB's
Preliminary Report findings:
“We commend Secretary Duffy’s swift action to implement
recommendations from NTSB preliminary findings. We also applaud Secretary Duffy
for laying out a clear plan to upgrade critical ATC technologies within four
years and work with Congress to frontload investments in these upgrades.”
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom made the following
statement after Secretary Duffy’s press conference:
“The entire American Airlines family continues to mourn the
lives lost in the tragic accident involving Flight 5342. I am grateful to
President Trump and Secretary Duffy for the FAA’s quick action immediately
following the accident to temporarily suspend helicopter traffic around DCA,
and for their commitment now to adopt NTSB’s urgent safety recommendations
regarding the suspension of helicopter traffic around the airport. I also
commend President Trump, Secretary Duffy and the FAA’s continued efforts to supercharge
staffing and invest in a modern, state-of-the-art air traffic control system.
We will continue to work with the Trump Administration and Congress to make our
aviation system even safer.”
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