I came dangerously close to dropping my phone when I saw the headline: Hero pilot Captain Sully reveals a scary theory on why the jet disaster in Washington, DC occurred. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the man who memorably landed a passenger jet on the Hudson River in 2009 and saved 155 lives, is the person whose view I regard as the most reliable when it comes to aviation tragedies. When it comes to this particular incident, Sully is concerned about nighttime flights over water, which he believes may have been a contributing factor in the terrible collision that occurred close to Washington, District of Columbia.
Flights that are Complicated at Night
According to Sully, the crash that resulted in the loss of 67 lives may have been caused in part by the lack of visibility that occurred when flying over a body of water that was dark. He made the observation that when there are less ground lights reflecting off of water at night, it can be much more difficult to identify other aircraft. According to his explanation, “All you can see are the lights on them,” which in turn makes it extremely difficult to determine the relative height and distance between the two locations. On the other hand, as Sully points out, if the pilots see each other and confirm that they are in visual contact with one other, the controller can temporarily give over separation duties to them. This may cause some people to question whether or not an air traffic controller should have intervened. Alas, a terrible mistake was made in the situation.
During his appearance on Good Morning America, Sully reaffirmed that despite the fact that at least one pilot had visual contact with the aircraft, they were still unable to maintain the necessary distance for a safe flying route. It is reminiscent of “dominoes lined up the wrong way,” to use Sully’s words, when those last lines of defense fail to protect the territory. As a result of nocturnal flights, even a minor delay can have catastrophic consequences. The fact that Hero pilot Captain Sully has released a scary theory regarding the cause of the jet disaster in Washington, DC, ought to cause every airline and pilot to reevaluate their procedures, particularly in the vicinity of big airports such as Reagan National, which are known for having short runways and a lot of air activity in the vicinity.
Pressures on the Runway and Obstacles regarding Staffing
The personnel situation in the control tower at Reagan National Airport is one area that has emerged as a source of worry as a result of the incident. A number of stories state that the controller who was in charge of directing helicopters in the vicinity of DCA was also in charge of processing departures and arrivals. As Sully pointed out, pilots need to undergo specialized training in order to operate safely at the Washington, DC airport because it is located so close to other airfields and has runways that are so short. When these difficulties are combined with persistent understaffing, it is easy to understand how the situation for a collision in midair could arise.
Captain Sully, a heroic pilot, has revealed a terrifying theory regarding the cause of the crash of the DC plane, and he explains why this has to be addressed.
There is a ray of optimism that the final minutes before the disaster can be pieced together now that the black boxes have been recovered from the wreckage that was submerged in the Potomac River by the individuals conducting the investigation. It has already been suggested in a preliminary study that the tower was overburdened, seeing as how the same individual was speaking to pilots of both the plane and the helicopter. The warning from Sully highlights the fact that the perfect storm may have been created by a combination of factors, including nighttime flight, water reflections, and likely crew shortages. When I think about the fact that Captain Sully, the pilot of the Hero, has a horrifying theory about why the jet disaster in Washington, DC occurred, I can’t help but contemplate the following: if even he is shaken by these circumstances, then we ought to all be paying attention.
Reflections on the Miracle that Occurred on the Hudson
In this day and age, Sully’s experience is nearly legendary. In 2009, when his plane was struck by a bird and both of its engines were destroyed, he somehow managed to make a safe water landing on the Hudson River, which saved all of the people who were on board. Since that time, he has been an outspoken supporter of safety measures, in addition to pilot training and comprehensive investigations of incidents. It is possible that similar catastrophes can be avoided if the aviation industry pays attention to his concerns regarding the latest tragedy in Washington, DC. However, as Sully puts it, “Even though we have a lot of safety, any lapse could potentially be fatal that could have fatal consequences.”-
