Reagan airport crash 1/29/25

[NR_Hunter]

My wife has seen every episode of Mayday: Air Disasters. She already knows what happens. Knows what happened to the F-35 that chunked it too.

 

[ismith]

My wife has seen every episode of Mayday: Air Disasters. She already knows what happens. Knows what happened to the F-35 that chunked it too.

Well?

 

[NR_Hunter]

Well?

Well, she thinks either the black hawk pilots f*cked up, air traffic control f*cked up, or the airline pilot f*cked. So….

She thinks the F-35 was because the the plane stalled at too low an altitudes to recover or the pilot was trying to be hot shit and f*cked it.

She isn’t convinced Russia shot that Azerbaijani airliner with a missile but is certain they will figure it out if it was.

 

[LuketheDog]

I didn't read this whole thread, but I guess there's another story out about the control tower being perpetually understaffed at Reagan for the past several years, controllers leaving shifts early, having to cover multiple stations at once. Doesn't give me the warm fuzzies about flying into busy airports. I'm sure the person in the tower is going to live with some serious baggage now too. Sad deal all around.

 

[Bonasababy]

I just read that the control tower is suppose to have a staff of 30. It has been at 19 for quite a while (years)?causing union to raise hell.,It was also stated that controllers are assigned for jets or helos not both at the same time which what it was at time of accident. I am sure this staffing issue is going to be one heck of a pass the buck blame game.

Sully the pilot that landed in Hudson from bird strike stated this airport requires specific training above the normal. Whatever that means.

I flew in and out of there on business quite a bit in early 2000's and it was a pita then.

The tragedy end result is the horrible impact on families of the jet victims and the helo crew. Its impossible to fathom the pain from an accident by most accounts HTH can this happen.

God bless the people who perished and families who are trying to cope with their loss.

I am not keen on assigning blame until the FAA report comes out, but tend to lean towards what I see as the most logical explanation.

We know from reports the control tower asked and double checked with the chopper that they had visual contact with the plan they hit. We understand the chopper reported they did.

This is a very busy--nuts busy really--area for aircraft. I hear choppers fly up and down the potomac all the time, and the airport is right next to the river.

What makes sense to me is that the chopper did see a plane--but were looking at the wrong plane, there was one not far behind the one they hit, anecdotal reports have claimed. I also heard the chopper was flying hundreds of feet above their clearance level.

So--seems like several mistakes, not sure if the tower or ATC could have done more as it appears they cleared visual with the chopper twice before the accident.

 

[Straight Arrow]

I am not keen on assigning blame until the FAA report comes out ...

Then don't!

 

[Bonasababy]

Then don't!

I get that--but SO many others are. I know people in ATC, all the blame shoved their way ain't fair IMO and other explanations might be useful to get all of us to slow down IMO.

 

[brymoore]

I didn't read this whole thread, but I guess there's another story out about the control tower being perpetually understaffed at Reagan for the past several years, controllers leaving shifts early, having to cover multiple stations at once. Doesn't give me the warm fuzzies about flying into busy airports. I'm sure the person in the tower is going to live with some serious baggage now too. Sad deal all around.

It gives me concern too but most businesses are in the same position right now. Unemployment rate is 4.1%. Finding the right people is hard due to competition from other employers.

Military is having trouble meeting recruitment goals too without extravagant sign on bonuses.

 

[Bonasababy]

They busted ceiling and had eyes on the wrong airplane. Similar to PSA flight 182 I think.

Had this happen at a flight school I am very familiar with too.

One things for sure it will cause a lot of people to re-evaluate whether systems in place are adequate, or enough redundancy is in place.

 

[Gulf of America]

I cleaned out the debunked story and kept one post so new readers know we are tracking it.

Thanks for keeping this all on the rails.

 

[LuketheDog]

It gives me concern too but most businesses are in the same position right now. Unemployment rate is 4.1%. Finding the right people is hard due to competition from other employers.

Military is having trouble meeting recruitment goals too without extravagant sign on bonuses.

True, but most businesses also aren't entrusted with nearly 3,000,000 lives on a daily basis. You don't meet your production goal or a shipping deadline because you are short-staffed or hired an idiot? Meh, happens all the time!

On the other hand, you lose momentary focus for the last few seconds of a commercial flight you're entrusted to guide in to the runway and crash a planeload of souls into a river? That's a little different...

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

In military aviation SAFETY is paramount. Proficiency is critical and mandatory. Competency in performing to standards is "life & death" of importance.

There is NO wink and a pass due to DEI, nepotism, friendship, politics ... or for any reason!

I wasn't on the air wing side as I was a trigger puller. I would agree that proficiency and competency was paramount with those flyers - they did some amazing stuff. However, I'm not sure I would say that Safety was paramount. Those guys were cowboys most of the time when grunts were flying I'm certain that they behave themselves when flying around congested airports though.

 

[JDH]

Wonder when the conspiracy theories will begin.

The village idiot on my local hunting forum is already at it. It was the CIA because there were Russians aboard.

 

[406dn]

True, but most businesses also aren't entrusted with nearly 3,000,000 lives on a daily basis. You don't meet your production goal or a shipping deadline because you are short-staffed or hired an idiot? Meh, happens all the time!

On the other hand, you lose momentary focus for the last few seconds of a commercial flight you're entrusted to guide in to the runway and crash a planeload of souls into a river? That's a little different...

A friend and I were discussing this subject this morning at the gym. We are both retired oil refinery workers. That is another environment where safety is paramount. The refineries in the Yellowstone valley, NEVER, have difficulty attracting applicants for any job openings. Why? Pretty easy, it is common knowledge that the pay and benefits are very good.

Uncle Sam has had a shortage of air traffic controllers for many years. They are short staffed by many thousands of positions. I strongly suspect that most people just don't find the job attractive, between the schedules, pay, and general work conditions.

Uncle Sam can set the bar, wherever they want. It is an individual decision for people in the workforce to decide if it is a job they are going to go after.

All of the flak they have received after this collision will not help attract potential employees.

 

[Bonasababy]

Mid mid 20 year old nephew was recruited for ATC out of college. He's a sharp kid, good temperament for the job too (I believe he said there was a LOT of evaluation of candidates). From talking with him I sure didn't get the sense any standards have been lowered!

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

I don't know if the air traffic controller had anything to do with this but I think that air traffic controllers have a really stressful job. I remembered hearing about this story a while back and looked it up. It seems that this may illuminate what they go through for training in this conversation.

 

[Jwill]

7 Waterfowl Hunters Among Those Killed in Deadly D.C. Plane Crash

Seven friends who were returning from a waterfowl hunting trip in Kansas were among those killed in a plane crash earlier this week in Washington, D.C. The outfitter who guided the group, Fowl Plains, posted about the tragedy on Facebook. “We’ve always said our clients are more than friends...

www.themeateater.com

 

[MTGomer]

The man next to me on the plane this morning, who looks like Rachel Maddow, was listening to some form of left media, and I could overhear it. There, I learned that this is Trump‘s fault due to not hiring enough people in the last 11 days. Then when I got my rental car, it was tuned to whatever station has Sean Hannity, where I learned on the boomer rage bait broadcasting network that the entire thing is due to DEI

The news sounds so weird when you never listen to it

 

[FI460]

The man next to me on the plane this morning, who looks like Rachel Maddow, was listening to some form of left media, and I could overhear it. There, I learned that this is Trump‘s fault due to not hiring enough people in the last 11 days. Then when I got my rental car, it was tuned to whatever station has Sean Hannity, where I learned on the boomer rage bait broadcasting network that the entire thing is due to DEI

The news sounds so weird when you never listen to it

You sat next to Mark Cuban on a commercial flight?

Jokes... jokes...

I admittedly read too much news at work outside of the field season. I've read multiple articles per year about the struggles that the FAA is having recruiting ATC's since at least 2018. It's a tough job with strict requirements.

More recently there has been quite a bit of media coverage about how frequently our runways have near miss incidents. Both sides of politics have been ignoring this for years. Seems like a good candidate for bipartisanship though.

 

[Bonasababy]

I don't know if the air traffic controller had anything to do with this but I think that air traffic controllers have a really stressful job. I remembered hearing about this story a while back and looked it up. It seems that this may illuminate what they go through for training in this conversation.

My understanding from my nephew is he was put through an intense but accelerated training program--many months still. He was recruited by ATC before he graduated from college, had a bit of time off then had to report for training after a month or two. Had some aptitude and psych testing I think first before being accepted.

He's ATC at ATL now. Not his preferred location but you go where you are sent. Probably a pretty good place to get your feet wet in the job and either cut it or wash out early though!