FAA Urged to Address Safety Concerns at Washington National Airport

Following a series of tragic incidents and close calls at Washington National Airport (DCA), the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Ranking Member Rick Larsen, alongside Senate Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation Ranking Member Tammy Duckworth, and House Subcommittee on Aviation Ranking Member Steve Cohen, have written to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Acting Administrator Chris Rocheleau, expressing their concerns regarding the safety of aircraft operations in and around DCA. The Ranking Members have outlined several immediate actions they believe the FAA must take to address the safety risks identified from the agency's ongoing safety risk management panel (SRMP) review of DCA.

Key Takeaways:

• The FAA is being urged to ensure that the required updated staffing targets at the DCA air traffic control tower are met, and that any necessary support roles are fully staffed.
• The hourly aircraft arrival rate at DCA should be kept at reduced levels until the DCA air traffic control tower is fully staffed up to such staffing targets and the FAA has fully addressed the safety risks identified from the SRMP review of DCA.
• The FAA must evaluate and modify any agreements with the Department of Defense and other relevant government agencies pertaining to flight operations in the DCA capital region to ensure the safety of the flying public.
• Regular briefings for Congress about DCA, its operations, and any progress made in the agency's review are also called for by the Ranking Members.
• The FAA is also urged to expand its ongoing SRMP review of DCA to include an analysis of various additional factors such as congestion in the airspace, ideal staffing levels of the air traffic control tower, outstanding National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations, aircraft safety technology equipage and communication standards, and the general mental health of aviation professionals working or operating at DCA.
• The recent incidents include a mid-air collision between a commercial airliner and a military helicopter on January 29, 2025, resulting in 67 fatalities, as well as a near miss between a departing commercial airliner and a military jet on March 28, 2025, and contact between two regional flights on April 10, 2025.

Statistics:

• 67 fatalities resulted from the mid-air collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a United States Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk on January 29, 2025.
• The incident on January 29, 2025, marked one of several concerning aviation incidents at DCA over the last four months.
• As of April 10, 2025, no updates have been provided on the investigation into the incidents.
• The safety risk management panel (SRMP) review of DCA is ongoing, and the FAA has yet to address the safety risks identified.

Sources:

• The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Democrats
• Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
• Senate Subcommittee on Aviation, Space and Innovation