Recent high-profile near collisions involving commercial and private aircraft have stoked a healthy public concern over the safety of air travel in the United States. It led to two commercial planes needing to abort their landings at Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C. An Army Black Hawk helicopter was flying low over the Pentagon, leading to the precautionary measure. This incident added to a troubling series of crashes and accidents that have occurred throughout the year, prompting discussions among aviation experts and policymakers regarding safety regulations and protocols.
In February, a tragedy unfolded on the runway of an airport in Arizona. A fatal midair collision resulted in the deaths of both people in one aircraft. This tragic crash underscored persistent hazards facing general aviation, especially in congested airspace. A few incidents have really escalated this issue. Among them was an incredibly tragic helicopter crash that killed the pilot on April 10 in New York City. The crash was a few minutes after takeoff from a downtown heliport. It to date since November 12, 2001, the deadliest aviation incident ever in the United States.
12 people were killed when a private jet crashed into a San Diego neighborhood, cloaked in thick fog. Tragically, there were no survivors among the six people on board during the incident. The shocking and tragic aspect of the unpreventable nature of these types of accidents creates concern over weather-related standard operating procedures and pilot judgment in hazardous conditions. Hearings follow crash of medical transport plane in Philadelphia. In late January, the plane went down not far from Philadelphia International Airport. Sadly, all six on board perished in the crash, along with two ground victims.
On April 11, a small plane went down in Boca Raton, Florida. The heartbreaking incident killed three and injured another. This tragic fatality brought into focus the perils of flying smaller aircraft. Unlike commercial aviation, these operations are not subject to the same strict oversight. The string of incidents continued with a sightseeing helicopter that broke apart and crashed into the Hudson River earlier this month, leading to six casualties.
The increasing rate of such accidents has alarmed regulators and industry stakeholders alike. On the afternoon of February 1st, a small commuter plane went down near Anchorage, Alaska. Tragically, there were no survivors among the ten people on board. Both accidents have led to unprecedented levels of attention and scrutiny regarding aviation safety. They portray underlying systemic failings across the industry.
Beyond these high-profile tragedies, more than 100 other near-misses have exposed a disturbing trend of increasing danger in America’s skies. An American Airlines plane that caught fire while landing in Denver in March left twelve passengers in need of medical treatment. A FedEx cargo plane from North Carolina made an emergency landing at a bustling New Jersey airport on Tuesday. The aircraft was subsequently shot down after a bird strike caused an engine fire. These events have counterintuitively been catalysts for public discourse demanding new safety improvements and advanced technology.
Just last month, a Japan Airlines plane had to avoid landing by luck and a miraculous few feet at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. While taxiing on the tarmac, it clipped the tail of an aircraft parked in Delta Airlines’ hub at Atlanta. This incident deepened concerns about situational awareness and ground traffic management at crowded airports.
A few days later, on April 4, an American Airlines plane taxies to a gate at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. Its wingtip struck another aircraft from the same airline. This event brought to the forefront how dangerous ground operations can be. It emphasized that better protocols were needed to promote safety in taxiing operations.
The product of these occurrences has brought back the debate regarding air travel safety standards in general. Pilots landed an Air India plane on a medical school shortly after takeoff earlier this year. Tragically, at least 240 people died in the crash. Such devastating events contribute to growing anxiety regarding commercial aviation safety, especially among frequent flyers.
