Tammy Duckworth Questions Top Military Officials About Response To Deadly DCA Plane-Helicopter Crash

3/28/2025

At Thursday's Senate Commerce Committee hearing, Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) questioned witnesses about the response to the deadly plane-helicopter crash at DCA.

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Transcript

00:00Senator Duckworth. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Following up on the chairman's

00:04questions, which is also my first question, Mr. Rushlow, can you tell me if this new methodology

00:11using the AI or whatever other methodology you're using to look at the aggregate data

00:16is being applied to other airports where there is close helicopter traffic in proximity to

00:22landing aircraft? Yes, Senator, it is. We have 10 locations around the United States,

00:27including Alaska Anchorage, that we're looking through right now, what we are referring to as

00:32hotspots, to look at similar trends, similar activities as it relates to fixed wing and

00:38helicopter operations. Is this methodology of reviewing aggregate data going to be applied

00:43nationwide, not just in this particular area, but to look at the overall trends of near misses at

00:48other airports, not just between fixed wing and rotary wing? Yes, ma'am. So there are three

00:53activities going on right now. First, the hotspots I referred to. Second is kind of a nationwide

00:59use of this review and use of this new capability that we've just admitted. And then, of course,

01:06the ongoing analysis and how we're doing that with our industry partners, as well as the military.

01:12Thank you. According to NTSB, between, as we've said, between October 2021 and December 2024,

01:19there were more than 15,000 instances of commercial aircraft coming close to helicopters.

01:2385 of those had a vertical separation of less than 200 feet. General Brayman,

01:27do you know how many of those 85 close calls involved Army helicopters?

01:32Ranking Member Duckworth, we do not. Can you tell me why that is?

01:38That data in those databases is currently not shared, but certainly the Army is interested

01:43in becoming part of an opportunity to share data because that's relevant to our safety as well.

01:49Does the FAA commit to sharing that data with the Army?

01:52Yes, ma'am, we will. Thank you.

01:54We've also asked for that information and we're going to share it as part of our

01:58investigation with all the parties. And I think this needs to be ongoing into

02:02the future so that especially the military aircraft that are flying within rotary wing

02:07close vicinity, these folks should be getting this data and we can do that moving forward.

02:12Administrator Lashore, General Brayman, can you explain the Army's rationale for its policy that

02:17gives commanders discretion to determine how many crew chiefs are needed for a particular mission?

02:22I think it's important. I don't think that the civilian population understands the extent to

02:27which the Army does risk assessment and risk mitigation and risk analysis and that process.

02:33I think it would be important. And how are you going to be implementing that process moving forward?

02:39Thank you, Ranking Member Duckworth. I realize that I have broad authority as the Army

02:47Aviation Regulation proponent to direct how every aircraft and every operator conducts their mission.

02:54But the reality is, and I'm not afraid to take that authority and use it when appropriate,

02:58the reality is the best individuals we have to assess the risk of every single flight

03:04are our unit commanders because we hold them responsible. They have the authority,

03:10the responsibility, and we hold them responsible to take any mission that they authorize,

03:16look at the factors involved, understand the people assigned to their organization,

03:22and adapt that crew to meet those requirements. And certainly that is something that will be

03:26looked at in this investigation. Do we do that? And we will hold commanders accountable if it

03:31failed to uphold that responsibility. Can you speak to if a risk assessment for a particular

03:38mission comes in at medium or high risk, how the approval authority of that changes? Because you

03:42mentioned the approval authority for the DCA area has been raised higher for ADSB out, correct?

03:50Yeah, yes, Senator. So all missions go through an initial approval process. So a commander

03:54has to authorize a reason for an aircraft to fly. At the completion of that authorization,

03:59the crew then assesses all the risks associated, known and expected risks associated with the

04:05mission they've been tasked to do. That discussion involves a third party, a senior officer, a senior

04:10aviator within the organization that then assesses that risk and directs the crew to make any changes

04:16to mitigate anything that either that briefing officer understands based on their experience.

04:22And then when those things are implemented, it goes back to a commander who must authorize

04:27every single flight. So in the occurrence of things like ADSB out operations, that authority

04:34resides with a medium risk authority. So a battalion commander must approve that mission

04:39in particular. And in this case, the policy allowed that to be delegated down to a company commander,

04:44and they must approve that, that it meets the standards of the policy completely. We have now

04:52elevated that risk to high risk that requires an 06 commander to approve any mission that has ADSB

04:58off. Mr. Chairman, I'm going to ask your indulgence for an extra 30 seconds because I my next question

05:03I think applies to all everybody here, and I think people will be interested. Please proceed.

05:08Thank you. This is for the FAA. I am hearing that there is a backlog of air traffic controllers

05:16waiting to get their FAA medicals approved so that they can return to duty. And we have an air

05:21traffic controller shortage right now. I think in the Chicagoland area, there's about a dozen

05:26air traffic controllers who are waiting for, you know, they got new medication, whatever it is,

05:29but they're waiting as long as 12 to 18 months to get an appointment or to get a ruling from

05:36the FAA medical office so that they can actually get back on the job. And they're just sitting

05:40there not able to do their job. And I think this is a problem at all of the major airports around

05:46the country. I'm sure every one of us has air traffic controllers waiting to be put back onto

05:52duty, and they can't because of the backlog with the FAA medical system. Can you speak to that?

05:57And will you commit, if I give you a list of my air traffic controllers who've been waiting,

06:01will you take a look at those folks and make sure that their medical issues are addressed

06:08so we can get them back on the job? Yes, Senator, I commit to that.

Tammy Duckworth Questions Top Military Officials About Response To Deadly DCA Plane-Helicopter Crash

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