The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced permanent restrictions on nonessential helicopter operations around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport following a fatal mid-air collision in January. The crash involved an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet, killing 67 people over the Potomac River. The decision follows an urgent recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Under the new restrictions, nonessential helicopter operations near Reagan National are prohibited, and mixed fixed-wing and helicopter traffic will be eliminated. Route 4, which runs along the Potomac River between Hains Point and the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, will be permanently closed. The FAA will also evaluate alternative helicopter routes as recommended by the NTSB.
The FAA clarified that helicopters conducting urgent missions, such as medical emergencies, law enforcement, or presidential transport, will be permitted but must maintain specific distances from airplanes. Additionally, simultaneous use of Runways 15/33 and 4/22 will be restricted when urgent helicopter operations are taking place. The agency will also limit visual separation to select Coast Guard, Marine, and Park Police helicopter flights outside the restricted airspace.
Runway 33 was in use on January 29 when an American Airlines flight from Wichita collided with the Army helicopter. The NTSB found that the helicopter was flying at 278 feet—above the permitted 200-foot ceiling for helicopters near Reagan National. The ceiling is designed to prevent conflicts between military and law enforcement helicopters and commercial aircraft in Washington, D.C.’s already highly restricted airspace.
The report also revealed that the Army helicopter had turned off its Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system before the collision. The ADS-B system is a critical tracking tool that integrates aircraft positioning, avionics, and ground infrastructure to enhance air traffic control surveillance.
The FAA stated that it will continue reviewing airports with high volumes of mixed-use traffic and develop corrective action plans where risks are identified.
