The tragic mid-air collision on Wednesday between a PSA Airlines flight and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, along with Friday’s crash of a medical jet into a Philadelphia neighborhood, has shaken the aviation sector.

American Airlines Flight 5342 was heading to Ronald Reagan National Airport from Wichita, Kansas when it struck the military helicopter around 9 p.m. Tragically, all 64 individuals on the flight, which included two flight attendants and pilots, as well as the three soldiers aboard the helicopter, lost their lives. This incident marks the first significant fatal aircraft collision in the U.S. in 16 years.

While the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues to investigate, many crew members feel the weight of this disaster deeply.

“Whenever a tragedy affects one of our airline family members, it resonates with us all,” stated the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA-CWA) in a press release on Thursday. “The support we’ve received since this incident has been incredibly touching.”

As these crew members process the tragedy and utilize enhanced mental health support, they are also returning to work. Despite the heartbreak, pilots and flight attendants are highly trained professionals who prioritize safety—an obligation that has been reinforced following the crash.

‘This is part of our job’

Captain Laura Einsetler, a commercial pilot with three decades of experience, believes the accident emphasizes the critical nature of safety and stress management in aviation. “It makes us even more aware of the factors we must remain focused on at every moment,” she shared.

“As pilots, we are trained from the very start on the importance of compartmentalizing – it’s our specialty,” she explained. “This ability is a key reason why our safety record is so impressive. When we are in the cockpit or operating the aircraft, our complete attention is on the tasks we need to accomplish.”

According to the 2024 Transportation Statistics Report from the Bureau of Transportation, air travel is widely regarded as the safest form of transportation in the U.S., even before the recent incident.

“Transportation-related accidents took 44,546 lives in 2022, with nearly all but 2,032 of those being road vehicle incidents. Preliminary data for 2023 indicates a further decrease in deaths,” the report reveals. So far in 2023, there have been no fatalities in large commercial airlines, although numerous fatalities have occurred in general aviation, commuter aircraft, and air taxi operations.

“This kind of incident is rare, and it is a horrific tragedy impacting everyone involved – from the cabin crew who are instrumental in ensuring passenger safety to the pilot community, which is understandably reeling from this situation,” stated Dr. Hassan Shahidi, President and CEO of the Flight Safety Foundation. “It’s a gradual process. It’s only been a couple of days, but these professionals are committed to fulfilling their responsibilities.”

How are crew members managing the grief?

“A major incident is one of the most traumatic experiences a flight attendant can face,” AFA-CFW expressed in a statement. “The emotional, psychological, and professional consequences can be overwhelming.” The flight attendant union encouraged cabin crew to reach out for mental health support from their airline. AFA-CFW did not immediately return YSL News’s inquiry for comment.

Ultimately, crew members must decide whether they can effectively manage their anxiety or if they should step back from flying. “As pilots, we need to assess whether we are fit to fly or if we should withdraw from that flight and take care of our needs,” said Einsetler.

This assessment is also an essential part of the regulatory training for pilots, according to Mike Ginter, a general aviation pilot and head of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Air Safety Institute.

“I believe that flight crews handle this situation well, and if they are struggling, there are resources available – it’s ultimately up to the pilot, but I assure you every airline has support systems in place,” Ginter stated.

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Pilot mental well-being has typically been a “taboo” subject in the aviation industry, according to Einsetler, though there have been improvements in the support provided to pilots and crew. In a recent analysis, pilots reported avoiding discussions about their mental health out of fear it could harm their professional standing.

American Airlines did not respond promptly to YSL News’s request for commentary on available employee resources. However, American’s CEO Robert Isom sent a letter to staff on Thursday indicating, “We are fully utilizing our resources to support the needs of the families and loved ones of our passengers and crew members. This is our foremost priority.”

The aftermath of the pandemic has helped enhance mental health resources, prompting airlines to increase support systems like employee assistance programs that offer counseling and peer support groups, according to Shahidi.

“I want the public to realize that as dedicated professionals, we take our responsibilities very seriously – our own safety, that of our crew, and passenger safety is absolutely our top priority,” Einsetler affirmed.