NEW YORK, January 31. /TASS/. The head of air traffic control at Ronald Reagan Airport allowed one of the dispatchers to leave his shift early, NBC reported, citing a source familiar with the investigation.
According to the TV company, usually one dispatcher handles helicopters, while the second manages airplanes.
In turn, The New York Times reported, citing preliminary findings of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), that there were not enough dispatchers at the capital's airport at the time of the crash. In particular, the employee responsible for controlling the movement of helicopters near the airport was simultaneously instructing the crews of the planes to take off and land. According to the newspaper, such tasks are usually carried out by at least two people.
On the evening of January 29, a Bombardier CRJ700 passenger plane and a Black Hawk military helicopter collided midair near Ronald Reagan National Airport, a 10-15-minute ride from downtown Washington. The plane was operating an American Airlines flight from Kansas carrying 60 passengers and four crew members; at least three servicemen were aboard the helicopter. After the collision, the plane crashed into the Potomac River, where a search and rescue mission is underway. The bodies of 40 people were found at the crash site, and the authorities do not expect to find survivors.