FAA closes helicopter route near D.C. airport after fatal crash

• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy had already indicated he'd comply with the recommendation.
• The midair collision that left 67 dead amplified long-standing concerns about congestion in the busy skies around DCA.
• Reagan National Airport has the nation's busiest runway, and commercial planes and choppers share nearby airspace.

Driving the news: In addition to permanently restricting non-essential helicopter operations around DCA, the FAA is eliminating helicopter and fixed-wing mixed traffic.

• It's also permanently closing a route between Hains Point and the Wilson Bridge, and evaluating alternative helicopter routes as recommended by the NTSB.
• "If a helicopter must fly through the airspace on an urgent mission, such as lifesaving medical, priority law enforcement, or Presidential transport, the FAA will keep them specific distances away from airplanes," the agency said.
• The simultaneous use of two runways will also be prohibited when helicopters conducting urgent missions are operating near DCA.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details.

Go deeper: NTSB "urgently" recommends permanent helicopter traffic restrictions near DCA