On January 29, a catastrophic collision occurred between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet, resulting in all occupants' deaths. A New York Times investigation reveals the collision resulted from complex failures beyond just altitude issues. Key factors include ineffective execution of the 'see and avoid' practice by pilots, which should allow them to see and navigate around nearby air traffic. This incident underscores a breakdown in the aviation safety system, shedding light on vulnerabilities within current protocols that have previously been implicated in other fatal accidents.
The practice, known as flying under see and avoid rules, works exactly as it sounds. A pilot is meant to see neighboring air traffic, often without assistance from the air traffic controller.
Modern aviation is designed to have redundancies and safeguards that prevent a misstep, or even several missteps, from being catastrophic. However, on January 29, that system collapsed.
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