National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy warned that Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) could be at risk for a deadly midair collision if safety concerns raised by airlines are not addressed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Homendy’s remarks came Tuesday following a congressional hearing as part of the NTSB’s investigation into a fatal midair collision near Washington, D.C., last year involving an Army helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet that killed 67 people.
Homendy said commercial airline operators have repeatedly flagged concerns about congestion and mixed traffic in the Burbank airspace but feel their warnings have been ignored by the FAA. The airport handles thousands of operations each month, including 7,541 commercial flights in December 2025.
“Burbank is one where commercial airlines have called me to say the next midair is going to be at Burbank, and nobody at FAA is paying attention to us,” said Homendy. “So, whether it is involving helicopters or not, people are raising red flags, and why aren’t people listening? The FAA has to ensure safety. That is their job.”
The LA Times cited data from NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System noting there have been six reported near midair collisions at Burbank Airport since Jan. 1, 2021.
In response, the FAA said it has already implemented safety improvements at both airports.
The agency said it has been using AI tools since February 2025 to identify high-traffic “hotspots” with mixed helicopter and airplane operations. As part of its efforts, the FAA temporarily lowered the Van Nuys traffic pattern by 200 feet to reduce conflicts with Burbank arrivals. Preliminary results showed fewer TCAS alerts, and the FAA made the change permanent on Jan. 5, 2026.
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