An analysis conducted by CBS News has uncovered that nearly one in four of the over 8,000 near midair collisions reported in U.S. airspace between 1987 and 2021 involved at least one military plane. For incidents with one commercial aircraft and one military aircraft, they constituted around one in ten of the reported cases. In total, there were over 2,000 near midair collisions involving military planes and 258 involving both military and commercial aircraft. Out of these 258 incidents, 34, or 13%, were classified as critically close encounters. Approximately one out of every six near midair collisions involving military aircraft were deemed critically close.
Despite military flights only representing about 2% of all flight miles during this period, their aircraft were disproportionately involved in close calls. The CBS News analysis highlighted two recent incidents at Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. – a tragic midair collision on Jan. 29 between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines flight resulting in 67 fatalities, and a near miss involving a Delta Air Lines flight and four Air Force jets during takeoff.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated an investigation into the Army’s response to close calls following the fatal January collision. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy raised concerns about safety protocols at the battalion level, emphasizing a need to address the disconnect from focusing mainly on Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards.
Former NTSB Chair Robert Sumwalt condemned the recurrent conflicts between military and civilian aircraft, advocating for immediate corrective measures. In response to the January collision, restrictions were imposed on military helicopters in the affected zone, except for specific operational requirements. The possibility of similar limitations on military jets remains uncertain pending ongoing investigations.
Acting FAA Administrator Chris Rocheleau informed Congress of overlooked warning signs before the January tragedy and highlighted efforts to identify and rectify missed signals to prevent future incidents. The aftermath of the January crash has spurred calls for enhanced safety measures to safeguard airspace integrity and protect civilian aviation.
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