Near-collision investigation reveals Reagan National Airport controllers failed to stop flights during military flyover
The March 28 incident was in the same crowded Washington, DC, airspace that was the site of January's fatal midair collision between a commercial flight and an Army helicopter.
The new details, first reported by CNN, renew concerns about the safety of military and commercial aircraft operating in close proximity and raise new questions about whether air traffic controllers in the nation's capital are too stressed in the wake of the worst US air disaster in decades.
As previously reported by CNN, the night before the incident, a fight broke out in the Reagan National control tower, leading airport police to arrest an air traffic controller.
According to previously unreleased air traffic control audio reviewed by CNN, collision alerts flashed in front of the air traffic controller responsible for handling the military jets as they maneuvered for a flyover of Arlington National Cemetery, with the controller frantically issuing instructions to the formation of four jets.
'Drago 61, I need you to make a left turn, left turn heading 250 immediately,' the controller from Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control shouted via radio to the leader of the United States Air Force T-38 jets. 'Traffic opposite direction departing Washington National.'
The military jets – flying at more than 350 miles per hour – came less than 3,900 feet laterally and 100 feet vertically from the Delta Airbus A319, which just took off from the airport and was still climbing, according to a source briefed on the incident. A CNN analysis of the previously unreported distance between the flights put against speeds gathered by FlightRadar24 suggests the jets came within roughly five seconds of colliding.
The new details add to growing scrutiny of the crammed airspace around Reagan National Airport in the wake of the January 29 collision of a US Army Blackhawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet, killing all 67 people on board. The Federal Aviation Administration has since imposed heavy restrictions on helicopters operating near the airport.
The communications breakdown, according to sources familiar with the incident, appeared to occur when air traffic controllers in the Reagan National Airport control tower failed to hold departing flights for five minutes as planned leading up to the 3:17 p.m. flyover. A short pause in departures from the airport is standard protocol for Arlington cemetery flyovers, but for some reason that did not happen, that source said.
The source added that two other commercial flights departed after the Delta flight, which received an in-cockpit collision alert known as a resolution advisory.
The apparent failure stunned those briefed on the case who say aviation officials 'now fear what else could happen.' The FAA, which is investigating the incident, responded by deploying a 'critical incident stress management team' to the control tower to provide 'confidential support for staff.' The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating the case.
CNN has reached out to both agencies for comment.
Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate committee that oversees the FAA, said during a committee hearing last week that the incident was 'far too close, seconds away from becoming yet another disaster.'
'The air traffic center that controls airspace around D.C. notified DCA about the flyover,' Cruz said. 'That should have led to halted traffic,' calling the incident a 'serious communication breakdown is just the latest in a string of missteps that signal that the air traffic organization is under extreme stress.'
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The FAA is also offering bonuses to experienced controllers if they opt not to retire early and continue working to help ease the shortage. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
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The overlapping network of FAA radar facilities across the country also keeps track of planes flying between airports, and an approach control radar center in Minneapolis helps direct planes in and out of Minot before controllers at the airport take over once they see the planes. The Minot airport typically handles between 18 and 24 flights a day. That's how it works at many small airports. 'Most times it works just fine,' Guzzetti said. Some of these small airports could gain radar as part of a massive overhaul of the air traffic control system, but that will depend on how busy the airports are and how much funding Congress ultimately approves for the multibillion-dollar project. So far, $12.5 billion was included in President Trump's overall budget bill. Private companies operate the towers The FAA says that 265 airport towers nationwide are operated by companies as part of the contract system. 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Pilots at those uncontrolled airports use their radios to coordinate takeoffs and landings with other planes in the area. Only about 10% of all airports have towers. The FAA says it works closely with the companies that run contract towers to ensure their controllers are properly trained. It is easier to get certified at a contract tower because they handle fewer flights than FAA towers even though controllers are held to the same standard. More controllers are needed nationwide The ongoing shortage of air traffic controllers has persisted for years partly because it takes so long to train and certify new controllers. The FAA has said that it is roughly 3,000 short of the number of controllers it should have at its facilities. The staffing situation at private towers is similar because they hire from the same pool of candidates. All the roughly 1,400 controllers at these smaller airports have to meet the same qualification and training requirements. But contract towers also have the ability to hire controllers who retired from an FAA tower before the mandatory retirement age of 56. The contract towers don't have a retirement age. The FAA has been working for a long time to hire more air traffic controllers to replace retiring workers and handle growing air traffic. But it can be hard to find good candidates for the stressful positions who can complete the rigorous training. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has announced several efforts to hire and retain more controllers. The FAA is trying to shorten the time it takes between when someone applies to the air traffic controller academy in Oklahoma City and when they start training, and the agency is also trying to improve the graduation rate there by offering more support to the students. The candidates with the highest scores on the entrance exam are also getting top priority. The FAA is also offering bonuses to experienced controllers if they opt not to retire early and continue working to help ease the shortage.
