LEE’S SUMMIT, Mo. — Jeanné Willerth first saw the news of a mid-air plane collision Wednesday as she was coming back from dinner.
A plane from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military helicopter outside Reagan National Airport near Washington, DC. Officials said more than 60 people died.
"It's very, very sad," Willerth said.
She's been a pilot for 50 years. She works part-time as a flight instructor in Lee's Summit, Missouri.
Willerth spent most of Thursday morning looking through news reports and forums to get a better understanding of what might have happened in the crash. She shared some highlights with KSHB 41 News.
Communication is critical for pilots.
At Reagan National Airport, planes and helicopters use different radio channels to speak with the air traffic control tower. Willerth said it's unlikely the pilots in each aircraft could have heard each other.
Once controllers clear a plane to land, pilots focus on that task.
"You're looking for that end of the runway, you're looking for that lighting system to guide you down," Willerth said. "You do not expect there is going to be anyone else in that immediate vicinity."
Willerth said the airport was particularly busy Wednesday night.
Air traffic controllers were sending smaller planes, like the one that crashed, to a different runway.
After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, pilots are required to get a special certificate to fly in the Washington area.
Willerth pointed out there are lots of prohibited airspaces around the nation's capitol.
Willerth will be interested to find out the altitude of the helicopter at the time of the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration puts limits on how high helicopters can fly in that area.
Willerth said many airplanes have traffic collision avoidance systems to prevent mid-air collisions.
It's unclear if those systems work at low altitudes and whether military aircraft use them at all times.
Even after Wednesday's crash, Willerth said she would not hesitate to fly on an airline based in the United States.
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KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics in Kansas, Missouri and at the local level. Share your story idea with Charlie.