Home / Disasters and Accidents / NTSB Chair Flags Potential Midair Collisions Near BUR
NTSB Chair Flags Potential Midair Collisions Near BUR
3 Feb
Summary
- NTSB chair voiced concerns about Burbank Airport's safety.
- Airlines warned of potential midair collisions at the airport.
- FAA's attention is urgently needed for air traffic safety.
- The FAA has adjusted traffic patterns for nearby airports.
Air transportation safety officials have raised alarms about potential safety issues at Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR). National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy highlighted concerns during a recent meeting, noting that commercial airlines have expressed fears of midair collisions at the airport, with an apparent lack of attention from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Homendy stressed that ensuring safety is the FAA's primary responsibility. Between January and November of the previous year, BUR saw a 12.08% increase in passengers, with 862,825 individuals traveling through the airport. Following a fatal crash in January 2025 involving an American Airlines flight and a Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport, the FAA acknowledged looking into traffic flows around BUR and Van Nuys Airport, which are less than 10 miles apart.
The FAA has taken steps to mitigate risks, including temporarily lowering Van Nuys Airport's traffic pattern by 200 feet in February to reduce conflicts with Burbank-bound aircraft. This adjustment was based on analysis by the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). Burbank Airport, in its statement, deferred safety jurisdiction to the FAA, emphasizing that air traffic safety is the agency's top priority.
