Federal Aviation Administration officials faced intense scrutiny from Congress during a hearing Thursday about safety protocols and oversight failures at Ronald Reagan National Airport.
According to AP News, the FAA acknowledged significant shortcomings in its safety measures following a devastating January collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River that claimed 67 lives, marking the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster since 2001.
Chris Rocheleau, FAA's acting administrator, emphasized the urgent need for better data analysis and trend identification. The agency is conducting an artificial intelligence-powered review of airports with similar helicopter-airplane traffic patterns, with results expected within weeks.
AI technology drives comprehensive safety assessment
The FAA's innovative approach employs artificial intelligence to analyze millions of incident reports from major metropolitan areas. The review focuses on airports in Boston, New York, Baltimore-Washington, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and various locations along the Gulf Coast.
Investigators discovered 85 near-miss incidents around Reagan airport in the three years preceding the fatal crash. These incidents should have triggered immediate safety interventions. The oversight failure raised serious concerns among congressional committee members.
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy highlighted systemic issues in the FAA's data analysis capabilities. The tragedy deeply affected families of the victims, including Dailey Crofton, who attended the hearing after losing his brother Casey in the collision.
Military protocols under intense scrutiny
The U.S. Army's current operational procedures came under fire during the hearing. Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman revealed that military helicopters continue flying over Washington D.C. with disabled location broadcasting systems, citing mission sensitivity concerns.
Texas Senator Ted Cruz expressed outrage upon learning about a March 1 incident where Secret Service and U.S. Navy anti-drone testing triggered multiple collision alarms at Reagan Airport. The testing proceeded despite explicit FAA warnings against using frequencies that could interfere with aircraft warning systems.
Tim Lilley, a former Black Hawk pilot and father of the airliner's copilot Sam Lilley, criticized the Army's resistance to implementing basic safety improvements. His suggested changes included mandatory location broadcasting, additional crew members, and restrictions on older helicopter models.
Critical system failures surface during investigation
Homendy's testimony revealed alarming equipment maintenance issues within the Army's helicopter fleet. The investigation found that the crashed helicopter hadn't transmitted location data for two years, and eight other unit helicopters showed no transmissions since 2023.
FAA Acting Administrator Rocheleau delivered this stark assessment of the situation:
We have to do better. We have to identify trends, we have to get smarter about how we use data, and when we put corrective actions in place, we must execute them.
The Army's approach to safety monitoring also drew criticism from former Black Hawk pilot Tim Lilley:
I was frustrated with the lack of accountability. The Army still doesn't want to say that they did anything wrong.
Aviation safety demands immediate action
The January collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River resulted in 67 fatalities, exposing critical gaps in aviation safety protocols. The FAA has implemented immediate restrictions on helicopter traffic around Reagan National Airport and mandated location broadcasting for all aircraft in the vicinity. The agency expects to complete its AI-powered safety review of similar high-traffic airports within weeks, promising swift action on any identified risks.
