Two air traffic controllers raced when a shocking fight broke out in the tower on Ronald Reagan National Airport, DailyMail.com can exclusively unveil.
The facility is already under the mass control after the deadly collision of January between a flight of an American Airlines during the last approach and an army helicopter.
And the problem flared back on Thursday on Thursday when a few tower controllers were employed in a blazing argument before one blow a blow to another, a source says.
By the time the fighting colleagues were separated, according to our Insider blood was splashed over a control console.
The tower would probably have had a supervisor and at least six or seven controllers who send air traffic at the time.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the shocking incident.
“I heard that controllers went on in the parking lot, but this was at a whole new level,” the source told DailyMail.com.
“That facility got out of hand. People crack because of what happened in January. '
Noodenenities respond after a passenger plane collided on January 30 with a helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport
Two air traffic controllers entered a physical fight in the Control Tower on Thursday
Dailymail.com understands that the controllers involved did not work in the Night American Airlines Flight 5342 in the Black Hawk -Helikopter half a mile short of landing course 33.
However, they were almost certainly overtaken in the aftermath, because corpses and wreck were picked up from the icy Potomac river, our source explained.
All 64 people aboard the CRJ700 Regional Jet died, together with the three-member crew of the Chopper, making it the deadliest aviation accident in recent American history.
At that time, there was only one controller who achieved traffic for both helicopters and aircraft that was normally treated by two people-due to staff shortages at the airport of the DC area, one of the busiest in the country.
'The people who worked in that tower had to sit and see how bodies were pulled out of the river. There was no way you couldn't see it, “added the source.
'Leadership has not given these people sufficient support. They never really sent professionals to ensure that these people were mentally in order. '
Researchers from the National Transportation Safety Board still have to release their final report in the tragedy of January 29, which means that the investigation can take up to one year.
But a provisional report emphasized the dangers of commercial flights and helicopters that work in the vicinity of each other above the capital of the nation.
From 2011 to 2024 there was at least one 'Close Call' per month, NTSB chairman Jennifer Homber told a Senate Comance Committee on Thursday.
Reagan is one of the busiest airports in the country and treats more than 26 million passengers last year
The controllers involved in the punch-up were not supposed to have worked during the night that American Airlines Flight 5342 in the Black Hawk helicopter struck half a miles of Startbaan 33.
From 2011 to 2024 there was at least one 'Close Call' per month, NTSB chairman Jennifer Homendy told a Senate subcommittee on Thursday, the same day that the two controllers fought
Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, wanted to know why the Black Hawk of Sikorsky UH-60 had not sent ADS-B location data at the time of the collision.
Acting federal aviation manager Chris Rocheleau said that this would immediately be required from all helicopters, with the exception of presidential planes.
“Something was missed at the DCA crash. I take that seriously. I take that on myself, “he told the hearing.
'I only returned to the FAA two months ago and I care about the national safety airspace system and the workforce.
“I am dedicated to continue that work, and I will continue to assess what I mentioned earlier with regard to the hotspots, work closely with NTSB to learn what happened here and to ensure that it never happens again.”
Dailey Crafton, the brother of Casey Crafton, one of the victims of the crash, said before the hearing on Thursday that he wants civil servants to urgently use the dangerously busy skies in the vicinity of Reagan National Airport.
“There have been so many people, and it took this crash for everyone to wake up and do something about it,” he told USA Today.
Transport secretary Sean Duffy has promised to follow the recommendations of the office.
President Donald Trump blamed the “Dei” collision of January that hires in the FAA and issues a presidential memo that prohibits the supervisor from promoting diversity, equity and inclusion about competence.
A FAA spokesperson said about Thursday's incident: “We are investigating the case.”
Printed for more information, she replied: “We confirm or do not comment on the details of the open investigation.”
