Pilot, frequent flyers share thoughts on deadly DC plane crash

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A commercial pilot and certified flight instructor with 43 years of experience, Bob Katz, says he’s flown into Reagan National Airport. He shared his opinions and perspectives with CBS 58 as investigators aim to determine what went wrong in DC. 

Katz said based on audio between an air traffic controller and the pilots, the plane’s operators were asked to pivot their landing route from one runway to another. Katz said even though that move is routine for pilots, but the airspace over Reagan National Airport is among the busiest in the country

"For as long as I've been a pilot, I have never been comfortable with this runway,” said Katz, referring to the specific runway the plane that crashed was asked to change to “The fact that to land on it, you have to cross the river to do it. “It’s mixing apples and oranges that are not intended to mix.”

Katz said the runway should be reevaluated after this crash.

“It needs to be decertified or taken out of service entirely,” Katz said.

Katz said based on audio between an air traffic controller and the pilots, the helicopter was aware of the airplane, which means human error could be a factor for why the crash happened.

“To me the only sensible explanation is due to a distraction that occurred inside the helicopter dividing that pilot’s attention away from that traffic,” Katz said. “It was entirely preventable.”