Shocking 15,000 ‘close calls’ before DC crash revealed as investigators warn of ‘intolerable risk’ of another disaster

OVER 15,000 close calls between commercial flights and helicopters were reported at the Washington DC airport in the years leading up to the deadly January 29 mid-air collision.

The National Transportation Safety Board issued urgent safety recommendations for helicopters near Reagan International Airport following the crash that claimed 67 lives.

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AP

Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, revealed Tuesday that Ronald Reagan International Airport previously saw over 15,000 near misses[/caption]

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A memorial was set up near the spot where the commercial plane slammed into a Black Hawk[/caption]

Reuters

The Potomac River in Washington DC was riddled with razor-sharp debris after the crash[/caption]

Jennifer Homendy, the NTSB chair, opened up about the disturbing number of “close proximity events” at a press conference Tuesday after investigating the American Airlines and Black Hawk collision.

She revealed there were 15,214 near misses between commercial airliners and helicopters out of 944,179 flights at Reagan airport between October 2021 and December 2024.

“We remain concerned about the significant potential for a future mid-air collision at DCA, which is why we are recommending a permanent solution today,” the NTSB chair said.

Homendy suggested the Federal Aviation Administration ban helicopters from a four-mile stretch over the Potomac River when commercial flights land on Reagan Airport’s runway 33.

Helicopters should instead find alternate routes when two of the airport’s runways are in use, the NTSB recommended.

The chair also said the existing separation distance is “insufficient and poses an intolerable risk to aviation safety,” as helicopters and planes can now be as close as 75 feet apart during landing.

“Urgent recommendations require immediate action to prevent similar accidents or incidents when we issue them,” said Homendy.

“We believe a critical safety issue must be addressed without delay.”

Last month, Homendy explained that a bad radio transmission may have caused the crash, as investigators unearthed muffled messages after pulling data from the wreckage.

Flight data shows the air traffic controller desperately urged the Black Hawk pilot to “pass behind the” plane, but that message wasn’t heard on recordings recovered from the chopper’s flight data systems.

The controller also warned the soldiers that the passenger plane was landing on a different runway, but this may not have gone through.

Investigators believe the Black Hawk crew’s microphone key was pressed at the exact moment the messages were sent.

They also found the helicopter crew had inaccurate altitude readings, as the pilot reported flying at 200 feet in the air, but the crash occurred at a 300-foot altitude.

Air traffic officials have stressed that the Army soldiers flying the helicopter on the mission were highly qualified and trained to pilot in the dark.

They’re still investigating the direct cause of the crash and have restricted the number of helicopter flights allowed near the airport as they probe the tragedy.

Plus, flights are put on a temporary hold whenever a helicopter has to pass by the airport.

Homendy shared her heartbreak at the situation and said she was angry that dozens had to die before the safety crackdown could be employed.

“It shouldn’t take a tragedy to require immediate action,” she said.

HORROR CRASH

The shocking revelation comes nearly two months after the caught-on-camera collision exploded over the Potomac River, killing all 67 people on board both aircraft.

Washington DC’s ink-black waters and frigid temperatures left passengers with little chance of survival, turning the rescue mission quickly into a recovery operation.

Brave crews spent days diving through razor-sharp metal debris to pull bodies from the river and identify the dozens of victims.

Children, world-class athletes, and a group of hunting buddies were all on the plane that came crashing into a fiery spiral.

A large portion of the flight from Wichita, Kansas, was traveling back from the US National Championships for ice skating.

Teen skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane boarded the plane with their mothers and their coaches – Russian couple Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.

And little sisters Alydia and Everly Livingston, who were 11 and 14 years old, were also on the doomed flight after attending the competition.

Another victim, 30-year-old Kiah Duggins, was a former Miss Kansas contestant and Harvard Law graduate who previously worked as an intern for Michelle Obama.

So far this year, several major air disasters have sparked fear among fliers and ignited a conversation about pressures in the aviation industry.

In an exclusive conversation with The U.S. Sun, Ryan Tseko, who worked as a flight deck officer and trainer for the Federal Aviation Administration, admitted airlines are struggling to maintain their normally high standards.

He said pilot shortages, overworked air traffic controllers, and a surge in air travel is pushing the industry to its limits.

“While the overall number of crashes may not be increasing dramatically, these industry challenges highlight the need for proactive solutions to maintain the high safety standards that aviation is known for,” Tseko said.