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Senators question FAA over DCA crash
FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford faced tough questioning on Capitol Hill over the deadly Potomac-area crash near Reagan National and the agency’s response to safety warnings. Lawmakers pressed him on delayed action, NTSB recommendations and ongoing modernization efforts as the FAA says it is working through dozens of required safety upgrades.
WASHINGTON - FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford faced tough questions from lawmakers on Capitol Hill Tuesday as senators examined what went wrong before last year’s deadly midair collision near Reagan National Airport — and whether enough is being done to prevent another tragedy.
What we know:
The January 2025 collision over the Potomac River killed 67 people and prompted a sweeping federal investigation into aviation safety procedures surrounding the busy D.C. airspace.
During the Senate hearing, lawmakers pressed Bedford on why the Federal Aviation Administration failed to act sooner despite years of warning signs and thousands of close calls reported in the airspace surrounding Reagan National Airport.
On one hand, lawmakers wanted to know why the FAA didn’t act sooner despite thousands of close calls and years of warning signs in the airspace around Reagan National. But they also grilled the FAA administrator on the timeline for implementing the safety recommendations made by the NTSB.
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Bedford told senators the FAA is currently working to comply with 19 of the National Transportation Safety Board’s 35 safety recommendations tied to the crash investigation.
"Some of the things will be completed by the end of this year, some by the end of next year because these involve much bigger safety review panels," Bedford testified. "There’s just a process and these things take time."
According to Bedford, several changes have already been implemented, including new helicopter routes, restrictions along certain flight paths and new risk-assessment tools for air traffic supervisors.
However, he warned that some of the most significant upgrades — including advanced collision-avoidance technology — will take longer and require congressional funding. The FAA says the work is part of a broader $12.5 billion modernization effort aimed at upgrading the nation’s aging air traffic control system.
RELATED: What's changed? A look at safety measures around DCA 1 year after deadly plane crash
What they're saying:
One of the most striking moments of the hearing came when Bedford acknowledged the FAA had data showing serious safety concerns in the DCA airspace before the crash occurred.
"We had a bad plan in the region. It was a bad design," Bedford said. "There were absolutely data telling us it was a bad design, and we should’ve done something with it."
Bedford also admitted there were "poor decision-making" failures surrounding staffing and controller assignments leading up to the crash.
The FAA says it has since launched a sweeping internal reorganization, including creating a new centralized safety office focused on identifying aviation "hot spots" around the country before another disaster occurs.
The agency also confirmed Tuesday that some safety measures initially implemented around Reagan National are now being expanded nationwide — including limiting visual separation procedures between helicopters and commercial aircraft at other busy airports.
FOX 5 also spoke with Rachel Feres, who lost her cousin Peter in the crash. She said families are still waiting to see all safety recommendations fully implemented.
"We’re not gonna be satisfied until all 50 recommendations are implemented and we make a true dent in aviation safety," Feres said. "Looking for FAA to do its work and Congress as well."