Hollywood Burbank Airport could be the next to suffer a catastrophic mid-air collision, according to officials.
The National Transportation Safety Board head revealed Tuesday that airlines flying in and out of the SoCal airfield have been “raising red flags” about safety conditions — but that the Federal Aviation Administration has taken no action.
“I keep hearing about other areas in the airspace where they are concerned. Burbank is one where commercial airlines have called me to say the next mid-air is going to be at Burbank, and nobody at FAA is paying attention to us,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said at a hearing about last year’s tragic crash between a passenger plane and a Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people in Washington, DC.
Officials warn Hollywood Burbank Airport could be the next to suffer a mid-air collision. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images“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.”
Homendy did not elaborate on the claim or reveal what specific safety concerns were being raised at the two-terminal airport.
The complaints were coming directly from the airlines that utilize the runway, a list that includes major carriers, such as American, Delta and JetBlue.
“Nobody at FAA is paying attention to that,” Homendy claimed.
The FAA, however, refuted the allegations, stating that it had already taken action to correct safety concerns at
Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters
California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedIn
California Post SportsFacebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X
California Post Opinion
California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!
California Post App: Download here!
Home delivery: Sign up here!
Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!
Hollywood Burbank, and that it was one of two Los Angeles area airports that the agency was prioritizing.
“The FAA acted immediately to improve safety following the tragic midair 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,” the FAA told The California Post in a statement.
The National Transportation Safety Board head revealed Tuesday that airlines flying in and out of the SoCal airfield have been “raising red flags” about safety conditions. Los Angeles Times via Getty Images“One of our primary focus areas was Van Nuys Airport and nearby Hollywood Burbank Airport in the Los Angeles area. Based 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.”
Both airports were involved in concerning, but not fatal, incidents in the past several months.
In December, a thief broke into the flight school at Van Nuys Airport and hijacked a plane that they promptly crashed into a building.
Over the summer, a Southwest flight dropped nearly 500 feet shortly after taking off from Hollywood Burbank to avoid smashing directly into a Hawker Hunter aircraft.
Homendy’s zeroing in on the two airports was first reported by ABC 7.
The NTSB boss pointed out the potential safety concerns during a marathon hearing about the mid-air collision that occurred outside Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport last year, which killed dozens, making it the deadliest US aviation disaster since 2001.
The tragedy was the result of “systemic failures,” Homendy said, accusing the FAA of knowing about the risk of collision in the congested airspace.
“This was preventable,” Homendy said. “This was 100 percent preventable.”
