PSA CRJ-700 AA midair collision

I saw now, where the ATC calls out traffic to PAT well before the one prior to impact. The traffic is pointed out when the CRJ is at 1200 feet and called that he is manuever for 33. PAT calls in sight. The 2nd call was more of a "you sure"?
I haven't listened to it but I read this before which is why at some point the Blackhawk pilot is losing SA if he is crossing in front of 33..... Even if he is looking at the other traffic. A Iot to dissect here for sure. I'm sure a timely reminder to the Blackhawk that the CRJ is landing 33 as he got closer and closer is all that is going through that controllers mind right now. He's probably had countless situations where he questioned how close a Helo is getting but they do the right thing that he had a somewhat false sense of security here.
 
meh, Falcon replays get posted all the time on youtube. That video on VASAviation is an actual radar feed. I'd love to know how he gets those, especially since I believe he is based in France.
Releasing a FALCON replay per a FOIA request or other authorized means, or people posting public radar/radio feeds is one thing. A controller recording internal information (with their phone, bypassing the system or security measures) information related to an active accident/investigation and disseminating it to social media (unauthorized) is quite another. I know no one reads the screens prior to accessing this stuff (the ones that say things about terms relating to usage, access, and purpose), they just click ok. But this was done in terrible judgment. Oh well. Do what you think you career can handle, right? Lolz
 
I fly in and out of DCA a lot with my company. At times it’s organized chaos. Lot’s of helicopter traffic there. Your SA goes up a bit when operating in the area but I hate to say it because you fly in there often it gets complacent. That is one of the dangers we as aviators talk about. It’s a tragic situation for all parties involved. Wait and see what the NTSB discovers.

Side note to some who are talking about shutting down DCA and restricting access,
-That’s not realistic at all. Too much value/money/political influence using that airport.
 
IMHO the FAA has cut corners on safety at several airports by not standing up and saying “no” to airlines when the airspace/staffing shouldn’t allow for the amount of tin the airlines want to push. I think in particular of San Diego, which is already 10 lbs of poo in a 5 lb bag and is getting another new terminal, all of NYC airspace where controllers are working mandatory 6 day weeks, Seattle any time there is a cloud in the sky…I’m sure users can come up with more.
Jax center is getting a bit sketchy with their staffing issues as well
 
Question for the helicopter guys, if you are on NVGs and traffic is at close range above you is that in your normal field of view or do you have to move/tilt your head more than you would if not on them?

Just curious what your field of vision is out of them.
 
One of the few ASAPs I filed at my last job was exactly that on approach to BFI, we got an RA off a helo that had us in sight. Fortunately we were still high enough to get an RA.
I hate going in there when it’s nice out. You’re on your own flying because the PM is usually outside looking for several different pieces of traffic doing pattern work. Even taxiing there can be a nightmare. It’s a neat airport but I really wish we’d invested in real estate at SEA.
 
I hate going in there when it’s nice out. You’re on your own flying because the PM is usually outside looking for several different pieces of traffic doing pattern work. Even taxiing there can be a nightmare. It’s a neat airport but I really wish we’d invested in real estate at SEA.
Eh, I really didn’t have many issues. The touch and go traffic does a good job of staying on the parallel. Of course we were also often going in there in the middle of the night. I did do a checkride out of there over to PWT and that was terrifying with the amount of rando VFR traffic.
 
Question for the helicopter guys, if you are on NVGs and traffic is at close range above you is that in your normal field of view or do you have to move/tilt your head more than you would if not on them?

Just curious what your field of vision is out of them.

You can see lights in your peripheral vision outside the NVGs, out the sides or above/below.

Like I mentioned before, in heavy urban areas like this, I don’t fly with NVGs down, I keep them up and fly unaided. Better for seeing color lights as well as certain color LEDs that don’t show up on NVGs due to their spectrum.
 
Well, if he was below 200’, the collision that happened at almost 400’ wouldn’t have happened
Clearly, but no way this should have been attempted. The CRJ couldve been closer in or on a lower profile than they were (and still on profile and legal) and the collision wouldve happened.
 
I hate going in there when it’s nice out. You’re on your own flying because the PM is usually outside looking for several different pieces of traffic doing pattern work. Even taxiing there can be a nightmare. It’s a neat airport but I really wish we’d invested in real estate at SEA.
The missed approach is funky where you may have to descend to go missed.
 
Clearly, but no way this should have been attempted. The CRJ couldve been closer in or on a lower profile than they were (and still on profile and legal) and the collision wouldve happened.

Agreed. There is seemingly a choke point there at the approach end of 33 at DCA, and the low level route there on the Potomac, as an aircraft landing there on 33, would nominally be at about 300 MSL at 1 mile from the runway, while the traffic on the route is at 200 MSL, if both are in that same geographic point at the same time. That’s a near midair collision. This is a problem, even though I’ve seen that specific situation right there:l, and was climbed to be at least 500’ above the landing traffic, before being instructed to descend back down to route altitude once the landing traffic passing below was clear. Not sure why this wasn’t an option in this instance.
 
was climbed to be at least 500’ above the landing traffic, before being instructed to descend back down to route altitude once the landing traffic passing below was clear. Not sure why this wasn’t an option in this instance.
going southbound looks like the route basically overlays the mt vernon ry 1 ground track and the breakoff point for the 33 circle, if you climb you’ll just be beak to beak with the next arrival
 
After thinking about this crash all night I recalled a suddenly vivid memory of nearly hitting a police helicopter landing on the 24 runways at CLE in a Citation X. Pretty sure it was 24R but memory and time have caught up with me. Anyway red eye VNY to TEB and then repo to CLE for MX. Both of us were tired and useless. Instead of making the heli detour around final tower just scoots them through final and we got a really good look at the heli.

I feel like ATC sometimes overestimates pilots. We probably shouldn't have even been flying. I had tried to deal with the company over the post red eye repo flight unsuccessfully. But really is it that big of a deal to make the helicopters just stay the F out of a busy class B? It saves a few minutes?

I don't get it.
 
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