A flight from Boston was one of two planes that were forced to perform go-arounds at the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, because of an Army Black Hawk helicopter.The National Transportation Safety Board said air traffic controllers instructed a Republic Airways flight from Boston and a Delta flight from Orlando to perform the maneuver because the helicopter was heading to the Pentagon, which is only two miles north of the airport.The Federal Aviation Administration said a go-around is a safe procedure when a flight aborts landing and gets back into the line of planes waiting to land.Flight data showed the two planes were approximately half a mile from the helicopter at different points.However, airport officials said the aircraft were never on a collision course and the incidents are not being investigated as close calls.The incidents are likely the first incidents after the FAA implemented changes to helicopter routes following the deadly midair collision in January.”It doesn’t take much at the speeds they’re moving and at the distances they’re at for something to go very wrong, and we saw that at the end of January,” former Massport CEO Tom Kinton said.Kinton said that although go-arounds happen, what is happening at Reagan Airport should not be dismissed as routine.”Those things happen, but they don’t happen at the rate they’re happening at this airport, either helicopters,” Kinton said. “To me, the fix is, you get rid of the helicopters. It’s not a good mix, period.”Sixty-seven people were killed when an American Airlines flight and an Army Black Hawk crashed into each other. Some of the victims lived in Massachusetts or had ties to the state, including skaters, parents and coaches with the Skating Club of Boston. The skaters were returning from a competition in Wichita. Additionally, two Boston-area law grads and a financial professional from Massachusetts were among the victims of the crash.January’s crash was the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in 24 years.During their investigation into the midair collision, the NTSB found a history of near-miss incidents at Reagan Airport.In March, the NTSB urged for safety updates at Reagan Airport, which included a proposed ban on some helicopter flights near the airport.Thursday’s go-around is now being investigated by the FAA and NTSB.
A flight from Boston was one of two planes that were forced to perform go-arounds at the Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, because of an Army Black Hawk helicopter.
The National Transportation Safety Board said air traffic controllers instructed a Republic Airways flight from Boston and a Delta flight from Orlando to perform the maneuver because the helicopter was heading to the Pentagon, which is only two miles north of the airport.
The Federal Aviation Administration said a go-around is a safe procedure when a flight aborts landing and gets back into the line of planes waiting to land.
Flight data showed the two planes were approximately half a mile from the helicopter at different points.
However, airport officials said the aircraft were never on a collision course and the incidents are not being investigated as close calls.
The incidents are likely the first incidents after the FAA implemented changes to helicopter routes following the deadly midair collision in January.
“It doesn’t take much at the speeds they’re moving and at the distances they’re at for something to go very wrong, and we saw that at the end of January,” former Massport CEO Tom Kinton said.
Kinton said that although go-arounds happen, what is happening at Reagan Airport should not be dismissed as routine.
“Those things happen, but they don’t happen at the rate they’re happening at this airport, either helicopters,” Kinton said. “To me, the fix is, you get rid of the helicopters. It’s not a good mix, period.”
Sixty-seven people were killed when an American Airlines flight and an Army Black Hawk crashed into each other. Some of the victims lived in Massachusetts or had ties to the state, including skaters, parents and coaches with the Skating Club of Boston. The skaters were returning from a competition in Wichita.
Additionally, two Boston-area law grads and a financial professional from Massachusetts were among the victims of the crash.
January’s crash was the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in 24 years.
During their investigation into the midair collision, the NTSB found a history of near-miss incidents at Reagan Airport.
In March, the NTSB urged for safety updates at Reagan Airport, which included a proposed ban on some helicopter flights near the airport.
Thursday’s go-around is now being investigated by the FAA and NTSB.
