A recent report suggests that the roles of managing helicopter traffic and incoming airplanes at Reagan National Airport were consolidated prior to the midair collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday evening. The New York Times, citing a source familiar with the situation and an internal FAA preliminary safety report, indicated that a single air traffic controller was tasked with both responsibilities by a supervisor sometime before the crash.
Typically, these duties are handled by separate controllers between 10 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. at the airport. The consolidation of roles usually occurs after 9:30 p.m. when air traffic volume decreases. However, in this instance, the combination occurred earlier than usual, reportedly allowing one controller to depart work ahead of schedule.
The FAA's preliminary safety report determined that the staffing levels at the airport on the night of the incident were “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” according to the Associated Press. While the FAA has not commented on the reports of an early departure, an agency spokesperson stated that Reagan National Airport is authorized to have 28 controllers and currently has 25 Certified Professional Controllers and three controllers in training.
Despite the report's findings, a source informed Fox News Digital that staffing in the control tower was considered standard for Wednesday night. The source explained that combining roles is a regular practice, particularly during breaks, shift changes, or periods of low air traffic. While supervisors have the authority to consolidate roles, the reason for doing so in this specific case remains unclear. The source also characterized the air traffic on Wednesday night as moderate, contradicting earlier reports of heavy traffic.
The control tower at Reagan National has reportedly been understaffed for years, with 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023, significantly below the target of 30 set by the FAA and the controllers’ union. This shortage, attributed to employee turnover, budgetary constraints, and other factors, has reportedly led to controllers working extended hours and six-day workweeks.
