Family of pilot killed in DC midair crash calls for air safety reforms, thanks Trump admin for swift action
"We [want to] make sure that no other family has to go through the loss that our family and the other 66 families have gone through," said Tim Lilley, Sam's father and a pilot himself.
The January crash near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard both aircraft. Since the incident, the Lilley family has called for changes to air safety protocols, particularly regarding military and commercial flight coordination near the Pentagon.
Tim Lilley argues long-standing problems at Reagan National, from outdated systems to risky procedures, contributed to the tragedy.
Two Planes Do 'Go-arounds' To Avoid Military Helicopter Near Reagan Washington National Airport
"It only takes a minute to look at the procedure going out of the Pentagon and know you should not have a helicopter circling east of the Pentagon while there's aircraft, commercial aircraft, on approach to runway 19 at broader Reagan," he said.
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Duffy Blasts Biden, Buttigieg For Ignoring Report About Failing Air Traffic Control System: 'Did Nothing!'
He recalled previous conversations with his son about the complexity of flying into the area.
"Sam and I talked quite a bit about the flights into DCA and Ronald Reagan International and the challenges that come with that," he said.
Their concerns echo broader issues facing the aviation industry. A New York Times report after the crash highlighted understaffing at the Reagan control tower, and a lawsuit claims the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) improperly discarded qualified air traffic controller applicants based on race.
Tim Lilley also expressed concern about outdated air traffic control technology.
"The system just can't keep up with what's going on. This thing was designed decades and decades ago," he said.
Black Hawk Pilot Failed To Heed Flight Instructor In Moments Before Plane Collision Over Dc: Report
Despite the tragedy, the Lilleys are hopeful about efforts underway to fix what's broken. They credit Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for moving quickly after the crash.
Faa Increasing Air Traffic Control Staff, Supervisors At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
"Secretary Duffy, he gets it," Tim said. "We met with him just a few days after the accident. Everything that we asked for, he's taking action on. I asked him to do this at the speed of business and not the speed of government, and he's really coming through."
The Department of Transportation unveiled a sweeping three-year framework to modernize the nation's air traffic control system. The proposal released Thursday includes upgraded radar, new telecommunications networks, and six new air traffic control centers nationwide.
Sam's family expressed gratitude for the administration's support.
"I just really [want to] thank President Trump for his leadership in putting forth this program," said Tim, who stressed that aviation safety is not a partisan issue.
"Every family deserves to know that their loved one is on a commercial aircraft that's [going to] get there safely," Tim said. "This goes both sides of the aisle. We're just looking for support from everybody. I think all Americans deserve safe skies."
Even as changes begin, the Lilley family says their advocacy is just beginning.
"We are in this for the long haul," said Sam's stepmother, Sheri Lilley. "Tim and I are adamant that we want to make the name Sam Lilley synonymous with aviation safety."Original article source: Family of pilot killed in DC midair crash calls for air safety reforms, thanks Trump admin for swift action
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CNN
12 hours ago
- CNN
NTSB to probe air traffic control training, collision avoidance technology in second day of hearings on DC midair collision
Airplane crashes Federal agencies Aviation newsFacebookTweetLink Follow The National Transportation Safety Board will question witnesses Thursday about air traffic control training and collision avoidance technology, two key parts of the investigation into January's deadly midair collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. It's the second of three days of investigative hearings into what happened in the accident that killed 67 people. On Wednesday, the day began with an overview of the incident, including an 11-minute detailed timeline of the moments before the Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines regional jet, operated by PSA Airlines, collided midair. NTSB members later questioned witness for the Army and Federal Aviation Administration. The NTSB also released thousands of pages of information gathered during the investigation, including cockpit voice recorder transcripts that detail the final moments before the collision that show one second before the collision, the helicopter's instructor had told the pilot to change course. The helicopter route at the time of the collision allowed the Black Hawk to fly as close as 75 feet below planes descending to land on runway 33 at Reagan National Airport, according to the NTSB. In 10 hours of questioning Wednesday, the NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy grew frustrated with some of the answers given by representatives of the FAA and Army. After the hearing concluded for the day, she told reporters she has 'concerns' there is a 'safety culture' problem in both Army aviation and the air traffic organization of the FAA. The hearing also uncovered that Army helicopters would regularly fly below aircraft that were descending to land at Reagan National Airport and they sometimes used civilian heliports without authorization. 'I don't have concerns about the leadership, but I think they have issues below the leadership, with respect to flying underneath aircraft,' Homendy told reporters Wednesday night. 'At no point should there ever be helicopters flying underneath civilian aircraft that are departing and landing on any runway, any runway in the national airspace. I'm concerned that if it's happening here, that it's happening somewhere else.' Sixty-seven people died in the accident over the Potomac River, including 60 passengers and four crew members on the plane and three soldiers on the helicopter. The NTSB will meet again on Friday. A determination of what caused the crash will come in January.
The Hill
13 hours ago
- The Hill
Watch live: NTSB enters second day of DCA crash hearings
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Thursday morning will resume its probe into the deadly collision of an Army helicopter and passenger plane near Reagan Washington National Airport earlier this year, which killed 67 people. On Wednesday, investigators found the Army Black Hawk helicopter was flying higher than it should have been and its altitude readings were inaccurate. The second day of hearings will largely focus on air traffic control training procedures and collision avoidance technology, according to the website. The January crash, which marked the deadliest accident since 2001, sparked the Trump administration's push to overhaul the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and invest more into updated technology and recruitment programs for Air Traffic Control. The event is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. EDT. Watch the live video above.
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