Air traffic controller 'left work early', one was left to handle the air traffic

An air traffic controller at Ronald Reagan National Airport left work early before a tragic midair collision between a passenger plane and an Army helicopter, resulting in the presumed deaths of all 67 individuals on board. Reports indicate that a single controller was managing air traffic, a task typically handled by two, due to a supervisor merging their responsibilities prematurely. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that staffing levels were not adequate for the volume of traffic at the time. Investigators are examining the helicopter's flight patterns, which may have included flying above its designated altitude and off its approved path. The helicopter was reportedly above 300 feet when it should have been below 200 feet and was at least half a mile off course. Following the incident, the FAA announced indefinite restrictions on helicopter flights near the airport, allowing only police and medical helicopters in the area. The bodies of the three soldiers aboard the helicopter have been recovered, and both black boxes from the passenger plane have been retrieved for analysis.

- An air traffic controller left early, leading to inadequate staffing during a critical time.

- The helicopter may have been flying above its designated altitude and off its approved flight path.

- The FAA has imposed indefinite restrictions on helicopter flights near Ronald Reagan National Airport.

- All 67 individuals on both aircraft are presumed dead following the collision.

- Investigators are focusing on air traffic control staffing and the helicopter's flight patterns.