Midair collision near DCA in 2023, causing 67 deaths, exposes severe air traffic controller shortages.

A midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport in 2023, leading to 67 fatalities, has highlighted severe staffing shortages at the airport's control tower. An internal FAA report indicates that only one air traffic controller was managing both helicopter and plane traffic at the time of the crash, with DCA being 11 controllers short of the target. The staffing issues have been linked to a federal hiring freeze and budget cuts during the Trump administration. Congressman Lloyd Doggett has called for increased staffing at Austin's airport, citing similar risks. The FAA is under pressure to boost hiring targets to improve safety.

2 months ago
148 Articles