FAA considers permanent helicopter flight ban near DCA after plane crash
FAA to reduce arrivals at Reagan National
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to reduce flight arrivals at Washington D.C.'s Ronald Reagan National Airport in response to safety concerns following a deadly midair collision that left 67 people dead.
WASHINGTON - It has been two weeks since a deadly collision near Reagan National Airport claimed 67 lives when an Army helicopter collided with American Airlines flight 5342.
Now, air safety officials are considering making a temporary flight restriction on helicopters in the area permanent.
Helicopter ban near DCA
The backstory:
Since the Jan. 29 crash, the Federal Aviation Administration has prohibited most non-emergency helicopters from flying near the airport.
This restriction, initially temporary, could become a permanent ban. Aviation officials are currently reviewing helicopter flight routes and their proximity to commercial air traffic at Reagan National.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the FAA is considering extending the ban, though any permanent change would require approval from other federal agencies.
"If that does become a reality, they have got to involve the DOT Secretary, and the DOD Secretary because the DOD and a bunch of other government agencies have long used these helicopter routes," said Andrew Tangel, a correspondent for the journal.
All major wreckage from DC plane crash removed from Potomac River, officials say
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says crews have successfully taken all major pieces of wreckage from the D.C. plane crash out of the Potomac River.
What they're saying:
In response to the FAA's potential action, lawmakers from Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C., have written to the acting head of the FAA seeking clarity on the factors the agency will consider when deciding whether to extend or modify the restrictions.
Virginia Congressman Don Beyer also urged the Department of Defense to reconsider the close proximity of military training flights to the airport.
"Why do the training flights have to be that close to the airport? We know sadly they might one day have to get the president out of town, but let’s go train up the river or down the river when the planes are much higher," said Rep. Beyer.
FOX 5 reached out to both the National Transportation Safety Board and the FAA for comment, but neither agency made themselves available.
The NTSB is expected to release a preliminary report on the accident in the coming weeks.
The Source: The information in this story comes from FOX 5 reporting.