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Warning signs of collision danger before deadly D.C. plane crash

CBS News · New
CBS News
CBS News
New

A CBS News data analysis reveals red flags about collision dangers in the airspace around Washington's Reagan National Airport. For a year leading up to January's deadly midair collision, there were close encounters between helicopters and aircraft nearly every day.

Breakdown
  • Helicopters came within 500 feet of other aircraft at least 99 times near Reagan National Airport in the year before the crash. 4s
  • PSA, the airline involved in the crash, had more close encounters with helicopters than any other airline over a 52-month period. 18s
  • Neither airlines, the Army, nor the FAA identified the collision risk before the accident. 1m 5s
  • One in ten helicopters exceeded altitude limits near the runway where the crash occurred. 1m 14s
  • The FAA is developing AI tools to better detect collision risks in the future. 1m 46s
Aviation