The unprecedented number of airplanes, helicopters and drones swooping in to help with post-Helene recovery efforts over the past week are now posing a safety hazard, officials say.
At various times, 30 planes nearly collided midair last Saturday, a federal source familiar with the matter told CNN.
The surge in flight traffic is part of the massive ongoing relief effort across the southeastern United States in regions ravaged by Helene over six states, including North and South Carolina. More than 210 people were killed during the storm and its aftermath.
Some areas remain inaccessible by vehicles as hundreds of roads are still shut off, hampering efforts to deliver aid to ailing communities and prompting rescuers to assist by aircraft.
Air traffic over western North Carolina has increased 300% over the last seven days due to hurricane relief efforts, Becca Gallas, director of North Carolina’s Division of Aviation, told CNN.
“The response has been overwhelming,” Gallas said, “but safety is the number one priority.”
In North Carolina, National Guard members have been dropping in supplies and airlifting people and their pets to safety.
Among many of those helping with relief efforts from the air are private pilots.
Gallas noted the pilot of a private Cessna who landed in Hickory, North Carolina, on Wednesday forgot to extend the plane’s landing gear, causing the temporary closure of the airport’s runway and hindering additional supply drops.
Asheville Regional Airport has become so overwhelmed by air traffic that late Wednesday, airport officials closed the airport to incoming private aircraft – unless they are part of hurricane relief flights – until at least next Thursday.
The Federal Aviation Administration posted on X on Friday, “it’s crucial for all aviators to stay informed.”
Many airports in the disaster area do not have air traffic control towers, the FAA warned in a statement, and “pilots should use extreme caution when flying in the area.”
An unknown number of private pilots have volunteered their time and aircraft to help deliver supplies to areas impacted by the storm, and the FAA says its “goal at all times is to ensure safety and help facilitate this critical work.”
State aviation officials have restricted the arrival of some private flights into hard-hit Asheville and have set up a phone line for pilots to call to get approval for landing at Asheville Regional Airport.
“Our team is working around the clock to make sure that all relief flights – whether they are to bring in supplies or search and rescue – are happening efficiently and safely,” airport spokesperson Tina Kinsey told CNN. “The efforts here are just unbelievable.”
In a reply to Elon Musk on X late Friday, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg posted, “No one is shutting down the airspace and FAA doesn’t block legitimate rescue and recovery flights.”
CNN’s Elizabeth Wolfe and Ashley R. Williams contributed to this report.
