NTSB warns of serious midair collision risk at Hollywood Burbank Airport
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Air transportation security officials are sounding the alarm about possible security issues at Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR) in the Los Angeles area.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) held a meeting last week regarding the collision of an American Airlines plane and a Black Hawk helicopter in the Potomac River in January 2025.
At the hearing, NTSB board chair Jennifer Homendy spoke about worrisome airspace, specifically touching on Hollywood airport.
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“Burbank is a [airport] where commercial airlines call me to tell me on the next flight [collision] It’s going to be in Burbank and no one at the FAA is paying attention to us,” Homendy said. According to Fox 11 and other sources.
“The FAA is supposed to ensure safety. That’s their job.”
A recent National Transportation Safety Board meeting revealed serious safety concerns regarding Hollywood Burbank Airport, shown above. (Google Maps)
According to airport data, 862,825 passengers passed through Hollywood Burbank Airport between January and November last year, an increase of 12.08% compared to 2024.
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Following last year’s fatal Potomac River crash, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a rotorcraft safety roundtable media statement highlighting closely spaced airports.
“We are also looking at traffic flows around Hollywood Burbank Airport and Van Nuys Airport in the Los Angeles area,” according to the information.
“Burbank is a [airport] where commercial airlines call me to tell me on the next flight [collision] “It’s going to be in Burbank, and no one at the FAA is paying attention to us,” the NTSB board chairman said at a recent hearing. (REUTERS/Daniel Cole)
“They are less than 10 miles apart, each serves a wide mix of aircraft, and have closely spaced arrival and departure routes,” he continued.
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The FAA temporarily reduced Van Nuys’ traffic flow by 200 feet in February to “reduce conflicts with aircraft landing in Burbank,” the FAA said in a statement based on analysis by the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS).
In January 2025, an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided mid-air with an American Airlines passenger plane near Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport, killing 64 people. (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)
Van Nuys Airport is operated by the city of Los Angeles, which also operates Los Angeles International Airport, and is dedicated to non-commercial air travel.
In the accident on January 29, 2025, a Black Hawk Army helicopter collided in the air with an American Airlines passenger plane near Ronald Reagan Washington International Airport, killing 64 people on the American Eagle plane and 3 people on the military helicopter.
“Safety is a top priority for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).”
In its statement Wednesday, Burbank did not specifically address the warnings Homendy expressed at the hearing. Instead, he pointed to the FAA’s efforts.
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“When our passengers board taxiing aircraft and are in flight (inbound or outbound), safety is a top priority for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),” the airport said in a statement, according to Fox 11. “Safety matters regarding passengers, crew and aircraft occupying airspace are under the jurisdiction of the FAA.”
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Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed reporting.
