A preliminary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report obtained by AP News noted that air traffic control staffing at Reagan National Airport was “not normal” during Wednesday night’s midair accident in Washington, D.C.
According to the report, the controller responsible for managing helicopters near the airport was also overseeing aircraft landing and departing on the runways—tasks that are typically divided between two separate controllers.
Chronic understaffing has plagued the Reagan National control tower, with only 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023—far below the FAA and controllers’ union target of 30, according to a report from Fox News.
While the FAA hired more than 1,500 new air traffic controller candidates last year, the agency still faces a shortage of about 3,000 controllers, according to new data. High attrition rates, including retirements and training dropouts, continue to offset hiring efforts, contributing to delays and safety concerns.
President Trump addressed the collision during a press conference on Thursday where he suggested that the FAA’s DEI hiring could have contributed to the crash. Meanwhile, the NTSB stated that it would release specific findings as the investigation progresses.
