Mid-air collisions at Burbank Airport on the rise, NTSB chair warns of 'next deadly incident'
The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has expressed grave concerns about the increasing number of near-mid air collisions at Hollywood Burbank Airport and its neighboring Van Nuys Airport. The NTSB's warning comes as the FAA has been criticized for not taking sufficient action to address safety concerns.
The airport, which is already one of the busiest in the country, faces a high volume of helicopter and airplane traffic, making it a hotspot for potential mid-air collisions. According to data from the Aviation Safety Reporting System, there have been six near-mid air collisions at Burbank Airport since January 2021. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy has stated that she is "keeping hearing about other areas in the airspace where commercial airlines have called me to say the next mid-air is going to be at Burbank," and expressed frustration with the FAA for not taking these warnings seriously.
The FAA, however, claims that it has been working to improve safety at Burbank Airport. In February 2025, the agency began using AI tools to identify hotspots with high volumes of mixed helicopter and airplane traffic and implement mitigations. The FAA lowered the Van Nuys traffic pattern by 200 feet in 2025, which resulted in a reduction of Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) alerts for Burbank arrivals.
Despite these efforts, NTSB Chair Homendy remains concerned about the safety of Burbank Airport. "Why aren't people listening?" she asked at a hearing. "The FAA has to ensure safety. That is their job."
Passengers at the airport have expressed concerns about the growing traffic and potential for mid-air collisions. One passenger stated, "I've never really had thoughts of safety here. I've always had good experiences with Burbank, LAX, and I travel quite a bit for work." Another passenger noted, "One of my concerns has always been the amount of traffic over the city. I like the size that we've always been able to remain, and I don't want to see it get larger like LAX."
The NTSB is demanding that the FAA take action to address safety concerns at Burbank Airport. As one passenger noted, "If the FAA can make things safer, then there you go. Let's do that." The agency must act swiftly to prevent a tragic mid-air collision from occurring at this critical airport.
The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has expressed grave concerns about the increasing number of near-mid air collisions at Hollywood Burbank Airport and its neighboring Van Nuys Airport. The NTSB's warning comes as the FAA has been criticized for not taking sufficient action to address safety concerns.
The airport, which is already one of the busiest in the country, faces a high volume of helicopter and airplane traffic, making it a hotspot for potential mid-air collisions. According to data from the Aviation Safety Reporting System, there have been six near-mid air collisions at Burbank Airport since January 2021. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy has stated that she is "keeping hearing about other areas in the airspace where commercial airlines have called me to say the next mid-air is going to be at Burbank," and expressed frustration with the FAA for not taking these warnings seriously.
The FAA, however, claims that it has been working to improve safety at Burbank Airport. In February 2025, the agency began using AI tools to identify hotspots with high volumes of mixed helicopter and airplane traffic and implement mitigations. The FAA lowered the Van Nuys traffic pattern by 200 feet in 2025, which resulted in a reduction of Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) alerts for Burbank arrivals.
Despite these efforts, NTSB Chair Homendy remains concerned about the safety of Burbank Airport. "Why aren't people listening?" she asked at a hearing. "The FAA has to ensure safety. That is their job."
Passengers at the airport have expressed concerns about the growing traffic and potential for mid-air collisions. One passenger stated, "I've never really had thoughts of safety here. I've always had good experiences with Burbank, LAX, and I travel quite a bit for work." Another passenger noted, "One of my concerns has always been the amount of traffic over the city. I like the size that we've always been able to remain, and I don't want to see it get larger like LAX."
The NTSB is demanding that the FAA take action to address safety concerns at Burbank Airport. As one passenger noted, "If the FAA can make things safer, then there you go. Let's do that." The agency must act swiftly to prevent a tragic mid-air collision from occurring at this critical airport.
I'm literally getting frustrated with all these near-mid air collisions at Burbank Airport! Like, what's the point of having an NTSB chair warning about a 'next deadly incident' if the FAA isn't taking it seriously? 
They keep saying they're working on AI tools and changing traffic patterns but how many times can you tweak things before someone gets hurt? 
It's not just about Burbank Airport, it's about all airports with similar issues. We need real action, not just band-aid solutions! 
. Burbank Airport is already super busy with helicopters and planes, it's like a recipe for disaster! 
The NTSB chair is right to be worried - we've seen too many near-mid air collisions recently and it's only a matter of time before someone gets hurt 
It's crazy that the FAA is still not taking this seriously enough... 200 feet lowered traffic pattern might be good start but what else can they do? 
. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll take action soon before someone loses their life 
... i need to see some concrete evidence, like actual stats or numbers, to back up their claims 
... and what's with ntsb chair homendy being so vocal about this issue? is she just trying to get more attention for herself? 
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. That's why NTSB Chair Homendy is right to demand that the FAA takes action – we can't afford to wait for another tragic incident to happen 
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. The clock is ticking, and we can't afford to wait any longer 
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all these helicopters and planes taking off and landing at the same time, no wonder ppl r worried about mid air collisions! faa needs 2 step up the safety game ASAP 
I'm getting anxious thinking about these near-mid air collisions at Burbank Airport! It's crazy how busy it is with both helicopters and planes, and you'd think the FAA would've taken more steps by now to address safety concerns. 
NTSB chair jennifer homendy is low-key freaking out over the number of mid air collisions happening there. like, 6 since jan 2021 is already pretty bad. but its not just dat, she's sayin we r still havin close calls & nothin's bing done about it 
Did you know that the FAA has seen a 34% increase in air traffic since 2021? 
That's more than double the number of flights from 2019-2020. 
With that many planes sharing the same airspace, mid-air collisions are becoming super common. The NTSB Chair is warning us about this, and honestly, I think it's getting real 
. According to the Aviation Safety Reporting System, we've had like 6 near-mid air collisions at Burbank Airport since Jan 2021 
What's even crazier is that the FAA has only increased the Van Nuys traffic pattern by 200 feet in Feb 2025 - that's a whopping 17% increase! 
I was on a helicopter and we were flying over the airport when suddenly another chopper came out of nowhere 
anyway that's why I'm super worried about all these near-mid air collisions happening at Burbank 
I've been reading about the NTSB chair warning and it's just getting me anxious 
️. The NTSB chair is right, the FAA needs to step up their game and listen to the concerns of pilots, air traffic controllers, and passengers alike 
. We can't afford to have another deadly incident at Burbank Airport, let's hope they take it seriously and make the necessary changes 
. The FAA needs to step up its game and listen to concerns from pilots, passengers, and experts. AI tools are cool, but they're just a tool - it's about people making smart decisions on the ground too 
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. It's not like they're ignoring safety concerns or anything... I mean, come on, have you seen the traffic patterns around Van Nuys? 200 feet is a big change 
. Don't get me wrong, it's awesome that they've had good experiences in the past... but we can't just sit back and wait for another incident to happen 
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