Near-miss incident at Reagan National Airport
A day before the tragic mid-air collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, DC’s Reagan National Airport, a similar aviation incident of Republic Airways was narrowly avoided.
According to The Washington Post, an audio recording from air traffic control revealed that Republic Airways Flight 4514 had to abort its landing after a helicopter entered its flight path. The flight, an Embraer E-175, was cleared to land at Runway 19 but was instructed to be aware of the nearby helicopter. Upon receiving a collision alert from the automated avoidance system, the pilot executed a go-around maneuver before safely landing.
Tragedy strikes the following night
This near-miss incident gained attention following the fatal collision on Wednesday night, which resulted in the deaths of all 67 people aboard American Airlines Flight 5342 and the Black Hawk helicopter. Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River, prompting a large-scale emergency response.
While the cause of the crash remains under investigation, officials recovered two flight data recorders (black boxes) from the wreckage, which could provide crucial details about the moments leading up to the disaster.
Political debate over aviation safety
Trump suggests DEI policies played a role
Amid growing speculation over aviation safety protocols, former President Donald Trump weighed in on the incident, controversially suggesting that Biden-era diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) may have contributed to the crash.
“A group within the FAA determined that the workforce was too white, then they had concerted efforts to get the administration to change that and to change it immediately,” Trump claimed during a White House press briefing. However, he did not provide any evidence to support his assertion.
In the wake of the crash, rumors circulated online that FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker had been fired just days before the incident. However, fact-checking reports have found no credible evidence to support these claims.
Aviation safety experts and investigators are now examining whether air traffic control procedures and pilot response protocols were followed in both incidents. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is expected to release preliminary findings in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, the Republic Airways near-miss underscores the heightened risks of managing air traffic in busy metropolitan airspace, raising urgent concerns about safety measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
