Reply to Plane crash DCA?

Forum Index » Off-Topic

Reply to "Plane crash DCA?"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I can help but wonder what would have happened if the ATC had been a tad more explicit in his second communication: "PAT 25 you are on collision course with plane landing at runway 33". I'm not saying he was or should have been required to say this but I wonder if the ATCs at Reagan should NOT have placed so much trust in military helos given all the issues that have apparently been going on forever with near collisions and planes having to abort landing and them flying above 200. Maybe if they were not short staffed, the ATC might have said something more explicit. [/quote]

I don't think the helicopter WAS on a collision course with the plane? If you watch videos of the radar screen it looks like two craft are colliding all the time but they're not because they're at different heights. If the helicopter had continued on the path it was on, it sounds like they wouldn't have crashed?[/quote]

Yes it appears that if the helicopter had stayed down at 200 ft, it would have been a close call but likely not a collision. Also according to radar the helicopter moved to the west before the collision, which is significant because they received directions from ATC to go behind the landing aircraft, which would necessitate either holding up and waiting for the airplane to pass, or moving east.

I don't really get all the second guessing of the ATC's actions at this point because we hear the ATC warn the helicopter multiple times of the plane and give directions to go behind. Even if the helicopter had eyes on the wrong plane, the multiple warnings and direction should have alerted the helicopter to the nearness of the plane.

According to the Washington Post, there were 12 seconds between ATCs second warning to the helicopter of the plane in its path and the collision. That is enough time for the helicopter to take evasive action.

ATC did what they could. They are not flying these aircraft. All they can do is provide information and direction.[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics