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Pilots' Animal Noises on Radio Spark Safety Debate

Key Points
  • Pilots made animal noises on radio at Reagan National Airport
  • Recording went viral with over 4 million views on X
  • Incident sparked safety debate after deadly 2025 crash at same airport

The recording was newly released, with CBS News posting a clip of it on X on Wednesday. The clip received more than 4 million views on X, and the post sparked a debate about how serious the pilots' actions were. ' The incident occurred at an airport that was the site of the deadliest plane crash in the US in nearly 25 years.

A mid-air collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet in January 2025 left 67 people dead. A year-long NTSB investigation determined that systemic flaws and individual errors contributed to the crash. The accident led to significant reforms to protocols and airspace at the DC airport and other airports.

You guys need to be professional.

Air traffic controller, Air traffic controller

This is why you still fly an RJ (regional jet).

Air traffic controller, Air traffic controller
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Pilots' Animal Noises on Radio Spark Safety Debate | Reed News