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BURBANK, Calif. () — Hollywood Burbank Airport officials are responding one day after the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board suggested the airport could be the next to experience a mid-air collision.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the airport said safety is a “top priority.”
“Once our passengers are in planes that are taxiing and in flight (arriving or departing), safety is top priority for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),” the statement said. “Safety issues related to passengers, crews and aircraft while they occupy airspace are under the jurisdiction of the FAA.
The statement also said the airport is coordinating with the FAA to improve safety conditions.
There have been six near mid-air collisions at the Burbank airport since January 1, 2021, according to the Aviation Safety Reporting System.
On Wednesday, NTSB Board Chair Jennifer Homendy delivered a blistering rebuke of FAA failures relating to a January 2025 mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed 67 people.
She pointed in part to concerns about the mixing of commercial airplane and helicopter traffic, noting that there was extensive data about the air traffic pointing to the danger of such a mid-air collision. She then noted in her remarks that she has heard from airline officials about similar concerns at other airports.
Homendy said airline officials have told her “the next mid-air (collision) is going to be at Burbank, and nobody at FAA is paying attention to us. So whether it is involving helicopters or not, people are raising red flags, and why aren’t people listening? The FAA has to ensure safety. That is their job.”
The FAA said it’s been focusing on airports like Van Nuys and Burbank for safety improvements. It says traffic collision alerts have been reduced for Burbank, and the Van Nuys traffic pattern has been lowered permanently.
The FAA released the following statement after Homendy’s remarks.
“The FAA acted immediately to improve safety following the tragic mid-air collision, both at DCA and around the country. In February 2025, we began using innovative AI tools to identify similar hotspots with high volumes of mixed helicopter and airplane traffic and implement appropriate mitigations. One of our primary focus areas was Van Nuys Airport and nearby Hollywood Burbank Airport in the Los Angeles area.
“Based on our safety analysis, the FAA lowered the Van Nuys traffic pattern by 200 feet during an evaluation in 2025 to see if that would reduce conflicts with aircraft landing at Burbank. Preliminary data indicated the change resulted in a reduction of Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) alerts for Burbank arrivals and we permanently lowered the Van Nuys traffic pattern effective Jan. 5, 2026.”
City News Service contributed to this report.
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