Military air traffic controllers lost contact with an Army helicopter for about 20 seconds as it neared the Pentagon on the flight that caused two commercial jets to abort their landings this month at a Washington airport. The Army shared this information with The Associated Press on Friday. The aborted landings on May 1 added to concerns about continued close calls between government helicopters and commercial airplanes near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, particularly following a fatal collision in January between a passenger jet and an Army helicopter that resulted in 67 fatalities.
At a March announcement, it was revealed that helicopters would be permanently restricted from flying on the same route where the collision occurred. However, more recently on May 1, the Army paused all flights into and out of the Pentagon to address safety concerns following the incident.
Brig. Gen. Matthew Braman, the head of Army aviation, explained in an exclusive interview with the AP that the controllers lost contact with the Black Hawk due to a temporary control tower antenna not being set up in a location that could maintain contact with the flying helicopter. This helicopter was transmitting data that should have given controllers its precise location, but the data was inconclusive, leading to confusion as to the helicopter’s whereabouts.
This incident has raised concerns about the capability of air traffic control systems and equipment, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy pushing for modernization. Ultimately, two planes were ordered to go around that day, and the coastal departures of the two commercial jets were aborted.
In the initial reporting on the aborted landings, an FAA official suggested that the Army helicopter was on a “scenic route.” However, the Army shared the ADS-B-Out data, which revealed that the crew had adhered closely to its approved flight path, directly up the I-395 highway corridor and then rounding the Pentagon.
Because of the 20-second loss of contact, the Pentagon’s tower did not clear the Black Hawk to land, prompting the helicopter to circle the Pentagon a second time. Air traffic controllers at the airport then decided to abort the landing of a second jet, an Embraer E170, because they did not have a confident fix on the Black Hawk’s location.
Former FAA and NTSB crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti expressed skepticism towards some of the Army’s explanations, suggesting that it would be too simplistic to say that the helicopter’s ADS-B was enough for air traffic control to track its location. The FAA declined to comment on whether its controllers could not get a good fix on the Black Hawk’s location due to their own equipment issues.
This series of events raises concerns about air traffic control capabilities in key airports and the need for modernization to ensure passenger safety. With previous close calls and resulting fatalities, it is crucial for all parties, including the Army and FAA, to work together to address any safety concerns that arise to prevent future incidents.
Leading up to this, safety issues and concerns have been ongoing regarding government helicopters and commercial airplanes near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The recent incidents have prompted further review and potential recommendations for system and equipment updates. Above all, the goal is to ensure the safety of all passengers, regardless of the airspace they are flying through.
Despite the setbacks and close calls, it’s evident that there’s an opportunity for improvement and collaboration among the various agencies involved in these incidents. Together, they can ensure that the necessary measures are in place to address safety issues and to prevent such incidents from recurring.