FAA Addresses Safety Changes Following Close Call at Hollywood Burbank Airport
FAA Implements New Safety Measures Following Close Call at Hollywood Burbank Airport
Federal authorities announced a significant safety measure Wednesday in response to a recent near miss involving a twin-engine Beechcraft 99 and a helicopter at Hollywood Burbank Airport. The close encounter, which occurred earlier this month, has prompted a change in how air traffic controllers manage the interactions between planes and helicopters.
The newly issued order suspends the use of visual separation between aircraft and helicopters at airports where their paths intersect. Instead, air traffic controllers will be required to rely on radar for managing aircraft separation. The FAA highlighted the March 2 incident at Hollywood Burbank Airport as a pivotal example underscoring the need for this enhanced protocol.
In the March incident, the Beechcraft 99 was landing when it unexpectedly found itself on a collision course with a helicopter approaching the same runway. The helicopter pilot had to make evasive maneuvers to avoid a potential collision, according to FAA reports. Another incident highlighted by the FAA involved American Airlines Flight 1657, which was cleared for landing at San Antonio International Airport when it encountered a police helicopter in its final approach path. The helicopter also had to alter its course to prevent an accident.
This updated safety guideline comes after an exhaustive year-long review by an FAA safety team. The FAA’s release linked the new measures to previous tragic incidents, including the January 29 crash of an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk, which resulted in 67 fatalities. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) identified the helicopter’s route proximity to Reagan National Airport’s secondary runway as a critical factor in the crash, alongside air traffic controllers’ over-reliance on helicopter pilots to avoid other aircraft.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy commented on the necessity of these measures, stating, "The tragedy over the Potomac one year ago revealed a startling truth: years of warning signs were missed, and the FAA needed dire reform." He emphasized the commitment to ongoing improvements to ensure public safety in air travel.
In January, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy expressed concerns regarding the potential for mid-air collisions at Hollywood Burbank Airport during a press conference concerning the investigation into last year’s deadly crash near Washington, D.C. involving an Army helicopter and an American Airlines plane.
Hollywood Burbank Airport, situated in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley and approximately 12 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, spans 555 acres and manages about 6.5 million passengers and 74.8 million pounds of cargo annually. Nearby, Van Nuys Airport, located about nine miles west, caters to noncommercial aviation, including private and corporate flights.
