DC air traffic controller Emily Hanoka reveals ‘warning signs were all there’ before midair crash that killed 67

A former Washington DC air traffic controller who was on duty the night of the tragic January 2025 mid-air collision between an American Airlines plane and a US Army helicopter has shed light on the concerning safety issues that were prevalent in the system at the time of the disaster.

Emily Hanoka, in an interview with CBS 60 Minutes, highlighted how there were glaring warning signs that were being ignored. She mentioned that controllers had raised safety concerns and were under immense pressure to keep Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport operational, despite its capacity being stretched to the limit.

Hanoka emphasized, “The warning signs were all there. You had frontline controllers ringing that bell for years, saying this is not safe. This cannot continue. Please change this and that didn’t happen.”

She revealed that safety recommendations were made by controllers, but unfortunately, they were not implemented effectively. Hanoka mentioned that controllers formed local safety councils and compiled data to support their recommendations, but they never went far enough to bring about significant changes.

The air traffic controllers at the airport were facing the challenge of managing 800 flights a day from its main runway, leading to overloaded hours and exceeding the airport’s capacity. Hanoka explained, “If you do not move planes, you will gridlock the airport. There was definitely pressure to keep the airport operational.”

Controllers had to rely on a precise operation called the squeeze play, where planes took off and landed within seconds of each other on a single runway to keep the airspace functioning. However, Hanoka noted that there were visible cracks and holes in the system that were being overlooked.

The fatal collision occurred as the American Airlines plane was approaching the airport’s runway 33 and collided with the Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River. Commercial and military aircraft frequently crossed paths at low altitudes over the river, with pilots referring to it as “helicopter alley.”

Following the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented a significant safety overhaul, eliminating the practice of visual separation where pilots were expected to avoid each other by sight. Controllers are now required to use radar to ensure aircraft remain separated in the skies.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy acknowledged the need for reform within the FAA, stating, “The tragedy over the Potomac one year ago revealed a startling truth: years of warning signs were missed, and the FAA needed dire reform.” The National Transportation Safety Board also highlighted the overreliance on visual separation in its report.

In addition to these measures, officials imposed restrictions on non-essential helicopter flights operating around Reagan airport to enhance safety standards and prevent future incidents.