Press Releases

Congressman Don Beyer (D-VA), who represents a Northern Virginia district that includes National Airport (DCA), today applauded the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) permanent closure of helicopter Route 4, which runs past DCA. The Army Black Hawk involved in a fatal collision with American Airlines Flight 5342 on January 29^th was flying on helicopter Route 4 close to the flight approach for commercial planes landing on DCA’s runway 33. The collision followed a number of recent near misses between planes and helicopters, creating what the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) – which earlier this week recommended closure of the route – called “an intolerable risk.”

“Permanently closing this route to non-essential helicopter traffic is the right call,” said Beyer. “My regional colleagues and I sought long-term restrictions on helicopter traffic in the days following the tragic accident in January, and the closure of Route 4 and the other steps announced by FAA will make the airspace around DCA safer for passengers and residents. I thank Secretary Duffy and our other federal partners for acting so quickly on the NTSB’s recommendation, and will follow up with them soon on additional potential steps to respond to this accident and the preliminary NTSB report as FAA evaluates alternate helicopter routes in the National Capital Region for redirected helicopter flights.”

Rep. Beyer previously led regional Representatives urging permanent closure of the airspace around DCA to military helicopter training flights. Beyer has long advocated for measures to alleviate congested air traffic in Northern Virginia skies.