Air Traffic Control Staffing Under Scrutiny As Crash Investigation Unfolds

Investigators are examining whether a lack of air traffic controllers contributed to the midair crash near Reagan National Airport, which killed 67 people Wednesday night. A preliminary report from the FAA, obtained by The New York Times, confirmed that only one controller was overseeing both helicopter and airplane traffic when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger jet.

FAA guidelines require two controllers to manage different types of aircraft, but the report found that a supervisor merged the roles and allowed one controller to leave early. The decision, made before the standard shift change at 9:30 p.m., meant a single person was responsible for monitoring all aircraft in the airspace at the time of the accident.

The crash involved a regional jet flying from Wichita, Kansas, with members of the U.S. Figure Skating team on board. The plane was approaching the airport for landing when it was struck by the Black Hawk helicopter, which had taken off from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, on a training mission. Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, killing everyone on board.

The FAA report also highlighted a longstanding staffing shortage at Reagan National’s control tower. The facility operates with only 19 fully certified controllers, despite needing at least 30. The FAA has previously acknowledged the shortage but has struggled to hire and retain qualified personnel.

Emergency crews have been working to recover bodies from the river, with authorities confirming that black box recorders from both aircraft have been retrieved for further analysis. Officials have not yet made any formal statements regarding the cause of the crash.

Trump administration officials have already moved to review federal aviation hiring and safety policies. President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the FAA to conduct a full evaluation of staffing levels and past hiring decisions.