WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)—Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation—today released the following statement after the U.S. Army released its report that detailed numerous systemic failures leading up to the deadly DCA mid-air collision between a commercial aircraft and a Blackhawk helicopter that claimed the lives of 67 people:
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“Ever since the tragic DCA midair collision stole 67 lives, the families of Flight 5342, the National Transportation Safety Board, aviation experts and I have sounded the alarm and called for action to prevent the next tragedy. This long-awaited Army investigation reaffirms what we’ve been calling for all along.
“Without delay, every aircraft must be equipped with and consistently use collision avoidance technology that is needed to see other aircraft in the sky and react in real time to keep the flying public safe. The FAA and Department of Defense must also improve coordination at all levels. And we urgently need to modernize our air traffic control system. In our modernization efforts, we need to focus on not just replacing outdated equipment but rebuilding a depleted controller workforce that has been chronically understaffed and overworked, including on that tragic night of the DCA crash when a single controller was forced to handle helicopter control and local control duties.
“As much as ever, the DCA midair collision reminds us how catastrophic the toll can be if we don’t take action. With this report out, there are simply no more excuses keeping the DoD and FAA from immediately implementing and exceeding the urgent safety recommendations handed down by both the Army and NTSB. The families who lost their loved ones that tragic day deserve action and the flying public’s safety depends on it.”
Duckworth has long been a leading voice in the push to make our skies safer. For years, she has been sounding the alarm that we must make critical aviation safety investments immediately to prevent all-too-often near-misses from becoming catastrophic tragedies. Last month, two bipartisan bills led by Duckworth and U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) to support the health of our aviation workforce and strengthen aviation safety passed the Senate with unanimous consent.
Last Congress, Duckworth chaired two CST Aviation Subcommittee hearings—one last December and the other a year prior—to address our aviation industry’s chilling surge in near-deadly close calls and underscore the urgent need to improve air traffic control systems to protect the flying public.
Duckworth helped author the landmark bipartisan FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 that was signed into law to extend the FAA’s funding and authorities through Fiscal Year 2028. The reauthorization included several of her provisions to safeguard the 1,500-hour rule, improve consumer safety, expand the aviation workforce and enhance protections for travelers with disabilities.
