Particle.news
Download on the App Store
6 ARTICLES
·
3w ago

Reagan Air Traffic Controller Charged in Control Tower Assault

Damon Gaines, 38, was placed on administrative leave as the FAA investigates the March 27 altercation linked to workplace stress following January's fatal midair collision.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport sign inscription in front of the airport terminal. Exterior night view of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport DCA in Crystal City, Virginia, United States serving Washington, D.C. The illuminated airport terminal building and the air traffic control tower of the airport visible at the departure level. The airport is owned by the federal government serving more than 25 million passengers, hub for American Airlines. Crystal City, Virginia, United States of America on November 9, 2024 (Photo by Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
A plane passes the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., June 5, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Image
Image

Overview

  • Damon Gaines, an air traffic controller at Reagan National Airport, has been charged with assault and battery after a physical altercation in the control tower on March 27, 2025.
  • The FAA confirmed that Gaines has been placed on administrative leave while an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
  • Witnesses described the altercation as a 'bloody physical fight' involving punches, reportedly sparked by heightened workplace tensions after the January 29 midair collision.
  • The January collision, involving an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, killed 67 people and has been cited as a source of stress for air traffic controllers at the airport.
  • The FAA and NTSB are continuing separate investigations into systemic safety concerns at Reagan National, including staffing shortages and procedural lapses highlighted by recent incidents.