NTSB: 15,214 close‑proximity events at Reagan National since 2021; issues urgent recommendations on helicopter routes and ADS‑B

The National Transportation Safety Board told members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee that data collected before and after the January mid‑air collision at Reagan National Airport revealed thousands of close‑proximity events between helicopters and fixed‑wing aircraft.

Jennifer Homendy, Chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board, said the agency examined FAA surveillance and voluntary reporting data and found “15,214 close proximity events from 2021 through 2024 at DCA between helicopters and planes.” She told lawmakers the NTSB issued urgent safety recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration, and the FAA adopted them quickly.

The NTSB’s urgent recommendation, issued on March 11, asked that helicopter traffic be prohibited while aircraft land or depart on Runways 15 and 33 and that the FAA identify alternative routes for helicopters. Homendy said FAA Secretary Michael Whitaker (referred as Secretary Duffy in parts of the hearing record) adopted the recommendations and that the temporary closure of Route 4 was extended beyond an initial March 31 timeline.

Homendy also discussed surveillance and avionics technology. She said ADS‑B Out is required for commercial aircraft since 2020, while ADS‑B In — which can provide pilots with additional traffic information — is not required. She noted the FAA issued a final rule in May 2024 that will phase in additional ADS‑B requirements, but some provisions do not take effect until 2027. Homendy told the committee the NTSB has recommended mandating ADS‑B In since 2008 and will examine whether its absence affected the January collision.

Why it matters: Homendy framed the issue as a systems problem. “The next accident is in the data right now,” she told the panel, arguing that aggregated reporting and surveillance data should be used proactively to detect trends and prevent collisions rather than waiting for a tragedy.

Committee members pressed about staffing and air‑traffic procedures, vertical separation minima and whether voluntary reporting or technological mandates would be the most effective path forward. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman asked whether the 15,214 figure represented near misses or smaller separation events; Homendy clarified the count reflects “close‑proximity events” and not necessarily collisions.

The subcommittee did not consider legislation at the hearing; the NTSB and FAA responses and implementation of recommendations will inform future oversight.

Direct quotes in this article are taken from Jennifer Homendy’s testimony to the subcommittee.