FAA Issues Ground Stop at Reagan National Airport
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a ground stop at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Monday afternoon.
Traffic Volume Cited as Cause
The National Airspace System Status board indicated the ground stop, which affected the Washington, DC, airport from 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., was due to high traffic volume, according to the FAA.
The federal agency confirmed that normal operations resumed at the airport just before 5 p.m.
Context: Recent Mid-Air Collision
This comes just weeks after a deadly mid-air collision in January involving a passenger jet and an Army helicopter, resulting in 67 fatalities. Factors believed to have contributed to the crash include heavy airspace traffic in the DC skies and chronic understaffing.
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Recent Safety Measures
- Monday’s delay occurred two days after the FAA permanently prohibited helicopters from operating on the route of the fatal collision.
- Investigators recommended a ban on certain helicopter flights after a series of near misses, stating the current setup presents an “intolerable risk.”
A preliminary report released Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also raised concerns about further helicopter collisions at the airport.
NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy stated, “We remain concerned about the significant potential for future mid-air collisions at DCA.”
Understaffing Concerns
Historical Data
Reagan National has faced understaffing for several years. As of September 2023, the airport had 19 fully certified controllers, well below its target of 30, as outlined in the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan presented to Congress.
According to a source, the control tower at Reagan National was 85 percent staffed, with 24 of 28 positions filled since the period of severe staffing shortages.
Contributing Factors
Chronic understaffing at air traffic control towers is a persistent issue, attributed to factors such as high turnover and budget cuts.
To compensate, controllers are often required to work 10-hour days, six days per week.
Collision Investigation Details
The Army reported that the Black Hawk crew was highly experienced and accustomed to the busy airspace around the nation’s capital.
At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was managing both helicopter and plane traffic.
Prior Near Misses and FAA Actions
The FAA investigated a similar near-miss incident that occurred in 2021 involving Air Force jets, a Marine helicopter often used to transport the vice president, and a commercial plane.
The subsequent investigation determined that only one air traffic controller managed helicopters, departures, and arrivals of planes.
The 2021 investigation also revealed a practice known as an “early shove,” where controllers were paid for full shifts even when not working. This practice is considered an informal benefit, enabling controllers to leave when air traffic is light.
Recent Aviation Incidents
Delta Flight Incident
Less than a month after the Washington, DC, crash, a Delta passenger plane crash-landed upside down at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada.
All passengers and crew survived the incident after being suspended upside down by their seatbelts for several minutes before evacuating.
The plane, carrying 76 passengers and four crew members, was en route from Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport to Toronto. Some 21 individuals were transferred to the hospital for treatment of minor injuries, and Delta offered a $30,000 payout to each person in compensation.
American Airlines Crash
The American Airlines crash above Washington, DC, marked the deadliest U.S. air disaster in 24 years, and the first major U.S. commercial passenger flight crash in over 15 years since the Colgan Air Flight crash, in 2009.