The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday made an urgent safety recommendation to prevent helicopters from flying near Washington Reagan National Airport when two lesser-used runways are operational, a move that followed a mid-air collision in January that killed 67 people. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said at a press conference the prior rules for the two lesser-used runways at Reagan National created “an intolerable risk to aviation safety,” saying there could be as little as 75 feet (23 meters) separating a helicopter and plane approaching one of those runways.
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