US restricts helicopters in Washington DC skies after historic air disaster

On January 31, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) restricted helicopter flights near Reagan Washington National Airport after an aviation disaster that killed 67 people on the night of January 29.

A US police helicopter flies near the site of an American Airlines plane crash on the Potomac River on the night of January 29. (Source: Getty)

After the tragic collision between a civilian plane and a military aircraft in Washington DC on the night of January 29, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the FAA has severely restricted helicopter flights near Reagan to minimize the risk of other collisions.

According to him, this decision will immediately help protect the airspace near Reagan airport, ensuring safety for flight operations.

The FAA prohibits most types of helicopters from flying on certain routes near the airport and only allows police helicopters, medical helicopters, air defense helicopters, and presidential transport helicopters to fly in the area between the airport and nearby bridges.

The restrictions will last at least until the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) releases its preliminary report on the fatal crash, usually within 30 days.

The NTSB said on the same day that investigators had recovered the helicopter's black box, which records flight data and cockpit voice. Information from the black box, along with the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the CRJ700, could help US authorities understand what happened just before the two planes collided and plunged into the frozen Potomac River.

“Our job is to find the truth,” said NTSB member Todd Inman. “But more importantly, our job is to make sure this tragedy never happens again.” Twenty-eight bodies have been identified.

US officials have confirmed there were no survivors after an earlier mid-air collision between an American Airlines CRJ700 Bombardier passenger plane and a US military BlackHawk helicopter.

The accident occurred when the Bombardier CRJ700 aircraft was carrying 64 passengers and crew, while the BlackHawk helicopter had three military personnel.

The crash has raised concerns about aviation safety and a shortage of air traffic controllers at the US capital's busy airport.

The airspace around the Washington area includes three commercial airports, numerous military bases and a number of government officials who frequently travel by helicopter.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/my-han-che-truc-thang-tren-bau-troi-thu-do-washington-sau-tham-hoa-hang-khong-lich-su-302820.html