An experienced air traffic controller retired just days after his radar failed as planes flew into New York airspace, according to The New York Times. The fault meant the Philadelphia-based Newark Liberty International Airport controller lost radar imagery for around a minute and a half on Aug.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy's announcement comes as Newark Liberty International Airport continues to deal with disruptions following an outage last week.

A deadly midair collision in January between a military helicopter and a commercial airliner, and several crashes since, have prompted officials to focus on fixing the nation’s outdated air traffic control system and hiring more controllers.