Black Hawk Down: Why Pilots, Not ATC, Bear Ultimate Responsibility for Flight Safety – Brandon Webb
The recent mid-air collision incident has ignited debate over who shoulders the blame—Air Traffic Control (ATC) or the pilots involved. After reviewing the ATC transcripts and video footage, it’s clear: this was a case of pilot error. Specifically, the Army Black Hawk crew failed to maintain proper separation while requesting visual separation as the passenger plan was on short final, ultimately leading to the tragic event.
ATC exists to assist, but they do not fly the aircraft. The final responsibility for flight safety always lies with the Pilot in Command (PIC). This principle has been underscored time and again in aviation history. Take, for instance, the Tenerife Airport disaster in 1977, when a KLM 747 initiated takeoff without clearance, colliding with a Pan Am jet, killing 583 people. Or the 2006 mid-air collision over Brazil, where two aircraft were assigned the same altitude, yet pilot awareness—or lack thereof—played a fatal role.
In this most recent event, the Black Hawk crew, misjudged their position relative to the fixed-wing commercial aircraft on short final. The tragic reality is that requesting visual separation means you are responsible for it. The PIC must constantly assess risk, maintain situational awareness, and, if in doubt, go around rather than press on with uncertainty.
This case is a harsh reminder that pilots cannot solely rely on ATC to keep them safe. I’ve literally had controllers try and vector me into terrain and respectfully declined as the pilot in command. Controllers provide guidance, but the decision-making and ultimate accountability rest in the cockpit. When lives are on the line, pilots must own the sky they fly in—because once airborne, no one is coming to save you from bad judgment but yourself.
The recent mid-air collision incident has ignited debate over who shoulders the blame—Air Traffic Control (ATC) or the pilots involved. After reviewing the ATC transcripts and video footage, it’s clear: this was a case of pilot error. Specifically, the Army Black Hawk crew failed to maintain proper separation while requesting visual separation as the passenger plan was on short final, ultimately leading to the tragic event.
ATC exists to assist, but they do not fly the aircraft. The final responsibility for flight safety always lies with the Pilot in Command (PIC). This principle has been underscored time and again in aviation history. Take, for instance, the Tenerife Airport disaster in 1977, when a KLM 747 initiated takeoff without clearance, colliding with a Pan Am jet, killing 583 people. Or the 2006 mid-air collision over Brazil, where two aircraft were assigned the same altitude, yet pilot awareness—or lack thereof—played a fatal role.
In this most recent event, the Black Hawk crew, misjudged their position relative to the fixed-wing commercial aircraft on short final. The tragic reality is that requesting visual separation means you are responsible for it. The PIC must constantly assess risk, maintain situational awareness, and, if in doubt, go around rather than press on with uncertainty.
This case is a harsh reminder that pilots cannot solely rely on ATC to keep them safe. I’ve literally had controllers try and vector me into terrain and respectfully declined as the pilot in command. Controllers provide guidance, but the decision-making and ultimate accountability rest in the cockpit. When lives are on the line, pilots must own the sky they fly in—because once airborne, no one is coming to save you from bad judgment but yourself.
