I am writing about yesterday’s catastrophic plane crash near the Reagan National Airport from what I believe to be a unique perspective. As a young Reagan political appointee serving as Special Assistant to James Watt, the Secretary of the Interior, I was sent to the site of the tragic Air Florida plane crash in 1982 to represent the Secretary as it was one of our National Park Service helicopters that was deeply engaged in the rescue of the few survivors. They were able to pull from the river the only survivors and were the greatest heroes of the day.
I witnessed both the rescue of survivors and the salvage of the victims, many still strapped in their seats. It was an horrific experience for me, but an heroic effort by our fellow Interior comrades who received the department’s highest Award of Valor from the Secretary.
As a pilot myself and as I was traveling to and from New York on a regular basis as Federal Project Manager for the restoration of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, I experienced several seat clutching takeoffs from the same airport. It is now almost twice as busy as it was then, and more than once I was concerned that our deicing prior to takeoff had become less effective as we waited our turn on the tarmac to take off. The Air Florida crash was a direct result of the same problem.
I was also given the rare opportunity to be the Lead Federal Official for the Yorktown Bicentennial, and worked closely with Jack Marsh, former Congressman and the new Secretary of the Army, who was participating as the Bicentennial of Washington’s victory over Lord Cornwallis. That event helped bring an end to the Revolutionary War and it is now celebrated as the founding of the U.S. Army.
After one of our planning meetings at the Pentagon, Secretary Marsh offered me a ride down to Yorktown to examine the battlefield park which was in his former Congressional District. He pointed out the window of his conference room and said, “That’s my brand new Black Hawk, and I think you would enjoy the ride as we check out the battlefield, if you can spare the time.” Well, that was a no brainer. We lifted off and headed south along a very similar route to that of the recently crashed Black Hawk, and I was very aware of the significant air traffic around the very same airport and wondered how all these airplanes and the helicopter we were in were safely kept separated.
This tragedy yesterday should never have happened, however, I am confident that the good people tasked to examine yesterday’s disaster will work diligently to prevent such a sad event from ever recurring.
My heart goes out to the victims of this tragic event, and I pray that such a calamity never recurs, but we must remain ever diligent to protect the safety of all our air passengers so such a tragedy is never allowed to happen again.
Garnet Chapin
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Mr. Chapin, thank for your service to our government. Your service to our democracy in Washington DC is testament to how our government helps the people of our country every day.
I would like to note that one of President Reagan’s‘ big moments was to take on and defeat the Federal Aviation Workers Union, thereby allowing nonunion ’scabs’ to unceremoniously steal the jobs of professional air traffic controllers.
One of the results of this ‘knee jerk’ approach was to reduce the staffing requirements recommended by the Union and this legacy proliferates to this day and from all accounts appears to be the most likely cause of the tragic mid-air collision at Reagan National Airport.
This should stand as a lesson and guide to the current administration as they seem to be randomly gutting the Federal Government of experience and oversight but .... it astonishingly although predictably seems to have only emboldened their short memories and revenge agendas.
John D. Mathna