U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., is renewing her call for the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense to implement safety recommendations after the U.S. Army released a report detailing what she called systemic failures leading up to the deadly mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The collision, between a commercial aircraft and a Blackhawk helicopter, killed 67 people. Duckworth, the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation, issued a statement Wednesday after the Army report was released.
According to the release, the Army report detailed numerous systemic failures leading up to the crash, which the senator's office described as America's first deadly commercial aircraft collision since 2009.
"Ever since the tragic DCA midair collision stole 67 lives, the families of Flight 5342, the National Transportation Safety Board, aviation experts and I have sounded the alarm and called for action to prevent the next tragedy," Duckworth said. "This long-awaited Army investigation reaffirms what we've been calling for all along."
Duckworth said every aircraft must be equipped with and consistently use collision avoidance technology, and that the FAA and Defense Department must improve coordination at all levels. She also called for modernizing the air traffic control system, including rebuilding a controller workforce she described as chronically understaffed and overworked.
She noted that on the night of the crash, a single controller was forced to handle both helicopter control and local control duties.
"With this report out, there are simply no more excuses keeping the DoD and FAA from immediately implementing and exceeding the urgent safety recommendations handed down by both the Army and NTSB," Duckworth said. "The families who lost their loved ones that tragic day deserve action and the flying public's safety depends on it."
Background
The release said that last month, two bipartisan bills led by Duckworth and Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., to support the health of the aviation workforce and strengthen aviation safety passed the Senate with unanimous consent.
According to the release, Duckworth helped author the bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which extended the FAA's funding and authorities through Fiscal Year 2028 and included provisions to safeguard the 1,500-hour rule, improve consumer safety, expand the aviation workforce and enhance protections for travelers with disabilities.