Report: Air Traffic Control Was Reportedly Short On Staff During Deadly Midair Collision
An internal FAA report has raised serious concerns about the staffing levels at Reagan National Airport’s air traffic control tower just before a catastrophic midair crash killed 67 people. The preliminary findings, obtained by The New York Times, confirm that only one controller was working at the time—far below normal requirements for managing both plane and helicopter traffic.
The disaster unfolded Wednesday night when an Army Black Hawk helicopter struck an American Airlines passenger jet attempting to land at Reagan National. The commercial aircraft, carrying members of the U.S. Figure Skating team, broke apart and plunged into the Potomac River. The three military personnel aboard the helicopter were also killed.
FAA guidelines mandate that separate controllers oversee helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft traffic, yet the report found that a supervisor merged the two roles and sent a controller home early. The decision was made before the standard 9:30 p.m. shift change, even as air traffic remained heavy.
The report also confirms that Reagan National’s tower has been chronically understaffed, operating with just 19 fully certified controllers instead of the 30 required. FAA officials have previously acknowledged staffing shortages but have struggled to address the issue.
Search crews have so far recovered dozens of bodies from the river, along with black box recordings from both aircraft. Investigators are examining whether the reduced staffing contributed to communication failures that led to the collision.
Trump administration officials are calling for an overhaul of FAA hiring and safety protocols. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order reviewing aviation oversight, while new FAA leadership faces pressure to address long-standing staffing concerns.
