Homeland Security Committee Chairman: 'NTSB will get to the bottom' of Potomac collision

We have been short-staffed for too many years and it's creating so many unsafe situations. The FAA has created an unsafe environment to work and for the flying public. The controllers' mental health is deteriorating."

In a report to NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System, one controller in Southern California wrote last year

We are urging people to stay away from the scene, and for neighbors to stay in their homes if they can,

Parker said

I've spoken with @PhillyMayor and my team is in communication with @PhillyPD, @PhilaOEM, and @PhillyFireDept. We are offering all Commonwealth resources as they respond to the small private plane crash in Northeast Philly. We'll continue to provide updates as more information is available."

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said in a statement on X

An aircraft crashed tonight in the vicinity of the Roosevelt Mall on Cottman Avenue. It occurred shortly after 6 p.m. this evening. We have no reports on the number of fatalities. Our prayers are with the families, friends, neighbors and everyone affected by this tragedy. Several dwellings and vehicles were impacted as well."

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter

I want to say thank you to our first responders and local, state and federal partners who are working vigorously to make public safety and health a first priority here in our City."

Parker said

At this time, we cannot confirm any survivors,

Jet Rescue said

We will have further briefings as more information becomes available,

the mayor said

So sad to see the plane go down in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

the president wrote on Truth Social

We have a lost aircraft. We are not exactly sure what happened, so we are trying to figure it out for now. So, for now the field is going to be closed. So, no inbounds or out bounds.”

A little over a minute later, the controller is heard saying

Despicable. As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying. We put safety first, drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch."

Former Transportation Secretary Buttigieg on X (formerly Twitter

We must have only the highest standards for those who work in the aviation system. I changed the Obama standards from very mediocre at best to extraordinary,

Trump said during a press conference Thursday

This is not sustainable. Being proactive regarding hiring is the probably the biggest measure our administration could make to alleviate the fears of the flying public. Luckily, they have the opportunity to do just that, and it will pay off in safer skies,

she said

However, it's quite possible that if marginally qualified Academy graduates got sent to facilities where they could not control traffic successfully, the washout rate would have increased,

he said

To be sure, it would be a very lengthy process to safely transform to a privatized model, with no guarantee of success. The top concern here in this case should be safety. Prioritizing targeted initiatives toward hiring qualified controllers and updated technology in the existing facilities would be a better investment,

she said

We don't know enough about what led to yesterday's collision, but the controller shortage may have played a role. Also, there may be a need to restrict the operation of military helicopters in airspace close to commercial airport landing and takeoff paths,

he said

All candidates who are accepted to the academy go through the same rigorous training process and are expected to perform to the same high standards if they want to continue on to their assigned facility. Then, they face even more training once they get to their actual facility,

she said

It is imperative that we do everything we can to keep the training pipeline open so we can continue to train qualified candidates. I don't see the quality of the training as the problem, but rather that the staffing levels are not where they need to be,

she said

I’m devastated to hear the news that at least three Delawareans died during last night’s air collision. Sasha Kirsanov, Sean Kay, and Angela Yang went to Wichita to pursue their passion for figure skating. It is a tragedy that none of them returned home to our state,

his post on X read

I lost everything. I lost my husband. I lost my students. I lost my friends,

Gudin told the station

I miss you Dad, I would do anything to bring you back and tell you that I loved you one more time,

she wrote in a post on Instagram