DC plane crash investigation highlights nationwide shortage of air traffic controllers [Video]

SEATTLE — Following the deadliest aircraft incident in recent decades, President Trump was quick to explain why the crash might have happened, blaming the diversity, equity and inclusion hiring policies of the Federal Aviation Administration for hiring possibly “incompetent people.”

“We have to have our smartest people, it doesn’t matter what they look like how they speak, who they are– what matters is intellectual talent,” Trump said.

However, Scott Hamilton, an aviation industry consultant with Leeham company, said it’s too early for any kind of blaming.

“What we do know is that the air traffic controllers actually alerted the helicopter pilots to the presence of the CRJ, and the helicopter pilot said we have the airplane in sight,” Hamilton said. “And then the ATC directed them to go behind the CRJ, so controllers did their job.”

There is a shortage of Air traffic controllers nationally. According to this report from …