Shortly Before Fatal Crash, Jet Pilot Was Asked to Change Runways The plane had been cleared to land on Reagan National Airport’s main runway. But in the final moments of the flight, air traffic control asked the pilot to land on a separate, intersecting runway. Shortly before an American Airlines regional jet and an Army helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night, the plane’s pilots were asked to pivot its landing route from one runway to another, according to a person briefed on the event and conversation overheard on audio recordings of conversations that occurred between an air traffic controller and the pilots. American Airlines Flight 5342, which was en route to Washington from Wichita, Kan., had originally been cleared by the National Airport traffic control tower to land on the airport’s main runway, called Runway 1, the person briefed on the events and the audio recordings revealed. But in the final moments of the flight, this person and these recordings also showed, the jet pilot was asked by air traffic control to instead make a circle landing on a separate, intersecting runway, Runway 33. That decision, according to the person who was briefed on the event and two other people who are familiar with the airport’s air traffic, happens routinely when regional jets like the American Airlines aircraft are involved, and may have been made to help keep air traffic moving efficiently by not clogging the main runway. It nonetheless raised questions within the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday morning about congestion at National Airport, one of the nation’s busiest, the person briefed on the event added. It is also raising questions about the safety of using intersecting runways, the person briefed on the event said, which the F.A.A. has sought to eliminate or close in recent years in places like Chicago and Dallas because of concerns about congestion on the ground. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/...e_code=1.tE4.6U9x.D-CmS38R6UOp&smid=url-share
I was staying in the DC area last night. Had the option of flying into DCA yesterday morning and out this morning. This would not have been my flight, but I'm kind of glad I chose the 6 and 1/2 hour drive instead. Crazy that something like this can happen in what has to be the most heavily guarded and highly controlled airspace in the country. I'm still on my way home. But I look forward to reading this thread when I get home.
Again, Trump made the tragedy all about himself and his crusade against "DEI." Nowhere in his post did he offer condolences to the families. He's an opportunist and will use other people's tragedies to advance his own political agenda. You're holding random clutchfans posters to a higher standard than your own damn "president."
I feel like this has to be a fairly common occurrence. The last time I was driving through the area, which was a few months ago, they were all over near Quantico in DC.
It's a terrible thing to do no matter wh I was looking forward to watching the Rockets game tonight. Something like this happens and it makes is seem so meaningless. Just so sad.
Leaderless FAA begins investigation of Washington plane crash https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/30/dc-plane-crash-faa-investigation
this was excellent, thank you. my (uninformed) takeaway from this is that the change in runway played a role in the helo not seeing them. if you look at the approach to the main runway, the CRJ was lined up on a direct flight path, and the helo would have seen their lights, and passed behind them. but the CRJ had to turn right, away from the airport, for a moment to re-lineup on runway 33. the plane behind them was still on a path to the main runway. when the CRJ then turned to land on #33, they were perpendicular (not completely, but enough) to the helo. still curious about the altitude question, and how the helo could have been at the same altitude. also, folks in the tower saw this happen live, not on their screens.
this is good analysis also. the news should just play this instead of dumbass analysis they are doing now. also obligatory everyone is an expert ATC now
again, excellent. imo, the controller could/should have told the helo to hold, rather than asking whether they had the CRJ in sight. they could see the trajectory, notwithstanding what the helo pilot told them. but this is second guessing split second decisions.
