Senator Marshall Joins America’s Newsroom on Fox Business to Discuss Wichita, KS Plane Crash: Now Is a Time for Faith

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. joined America’s Newsroom on Fox Business to discuss the terrible tragedy of the collision between an American Airlines plane traveling from Wichita, Kansas, and a military helicopter. Senator Marshall offered his condolences to the loved ones of the victims and discussed the failures leading up to the horrific collision. Senator Marshall will continue to demand answers and accountability. 

You may click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full interview.

Highlights from Senator Marshall’s interview include: 

On failures leading up to horrific accident:

“Typically, there’s one person monitoring the helicopters and one person monitoring the commercial jets. I think this goes way beyond that. There’s a ceiling for all helicopters at 200 feet. So why was that particular helicopter above 200 feet? Why didn’t air traffic control pick that up? Why are we allowing these type of helicopters into the busiest airport runway in the nation? It just makes no sense to any type of Americans. It’s a common sense issue. I’m calling on them, on the military to stop. I don’t want your helicopters where my people are landing. I think it’s that simple. And then we need to talk about transponders. Why are we letting military aircraft into this airspace without transponders that communicate with commercial jets if they don’t want to use transponders and stay out of this busy airspace? I think there’s a confluence of problems. Lastly, I appreciate President Trump’s just radical transparency and taking accountability here.”

On ensuring the highest focus on FAA safety and competence:

“I think that all of us want people with the highest training and abilities to do these really tough jobs. I want my pilot to be the best pilot. I want their position based upon their merit, based upon their mental capacity. I’ve sat there in some of these air traffic control places, and I think it was a tougher job. I’m a physician. I think their job was harder than [mine]. Moment after moment, hour after hour, it takes a very special person to do these jobs. I would add the president hired, I believe, over 100 of these air traffic controllers last week, realizing that there’s a problem, and I appreciate him raising the bar for what we expect there out of these air traffic controllers.”

On grieving Kansans:

“I’m a physician. This is typically anger and denial happening right now. I think we’re circling the wagons. We’ve been through this before. Kansas has 1955 we lost 75 people to a tornado. 1970 Wichita State football team had a horrific crash that claimed the lives of 31 young people as well. So we’re circling the wagons. You know, this is a time for faith. Our hearts are broken, but they’re broken together. I know this community of Wichita. I spoke to them, to Mayor Wu this morning, and she’s bringing this community together, and we’re just all on our knees today, humbled, just so humbled and grateful for the life and the country God has given us. But we also understand that this I don’t think this accident should have happened. I think it could have been prevented.”

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