A recent internal report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that the number of air control tower staff at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, was deemed abnormal considering the time of day and level of air traffic.
Tragically, on Wednesday night, an American Airlines aircraft and an Army helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., with all 67 individuals aboard both aircraft feared to have perished.
The Associated Press obtained a report which showed one air traffic controller was working two positions at the time of the crash.
Typically, the two assignments are split between two air traffic controllers, not just one.
This understaffing issue has been linked to high employee turnover rates, financial constraints, and consequently, air traffic controllers having to work extended shifts of up to 10 hours a day and potentially even six days a week, as per the report highlighted by the Times.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
