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UPDATE on Plane Crash Incident

A recent report reveals that the responsibilities for managing both military helicopters and incoming commercial flights were merged on the evening of the deadly collision.

According to the New York Times, an air traffic controller was assigned to handle both helicopter and airplane traffic at Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night, shortly before an American Airlines flight collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River. The report cites a source familiar with the situation, along with an internal preliminary FAA safety report.

Typically, the management of helicopter and plane traffic is separated from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the airport, with the two duties occasionally combined after 9:30 p.m. when air traffic begins to decrease. However, on Wednesday evening, the supervisor combined the responsibilities before 9:30 p.m., which also allowed one air traffic controller to leave their shift early.

The FAA’s preliminary safety report indicated that staffing levels at the airport were “not typical for the time of day and volume of traffic,” as reported by The Associated Press.

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