Crash Warning as Report into DC Disaster at Reagan Airport Is Released

Federal detectives have raised issues of a potential for another lethal aircraft crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair crash previously this year killed 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board gave an update on their examination into the cause of the catastrophe which occurred on January 29 in Washington.

An American Airlines jetliner and a Black Hawk military helicopter collided in midair over the Potomac River, eliminating everyone on board both airplanes.

As part of an initial report launched on Tuesday, investigators raised concerns of more collisions including helicopters at the airport.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy stated: ‘We remain concerned about the substantial capacity for future mid-air crash at DCA.’

Her concerns revolve around Transport Secretary Sean Duffy transferring to restrict helicopter traffic around the location, however that is set to stop at the end of the month.

When cops, medical or governmental transportation helicopters should use the area civilian planes are stopped from being in the exact same area.

Homendy said the NTSB is now advising that the FAA discover a ‘permanent service’ for detours for helicopters when 2 of the airport’s runways are in usage.

Emergency systems respond after a traveler airplane hit a helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia

Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) Jennifer Homendy speaks with reporters about the 29 January mid-air collision

It was also revealed on Tuesday that there was cautioning check in the lead up to the fatal disaster.

Those penetrating the crash went through 944,179 operations between October 2021 and December 2024.

It was revealed that 15,214 ‘near-miss events’ of aircrafts getting informs about helicopters remaining in close proximity in between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB also stated that there were 85 cases where two airplane where laterally divided by less than 1,500 feet, and a vertical separation of less than 200 feet.

Homendy included: ‘That data from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) might have utilized that information whenever to identify that we have a pattern here and a problem here, and took a look at that route; that didn’t happen, which is why we’re taking action today. But regrettably, people lost lives, and liked ones are grieving.’

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy knocked these findings at a later interview on Tuesday.

Duffy stated: ‘I think the question is when this information can be found in how did the FAA not know. How did they not study the information to state “hey, this is a hot spot, we are having near misses out on and if we do not change our ways we are gon na lose lives”.’

He included: ‘That wasn’t done, possibly there was a concentrate on something besides security.’

Duffy would later on added when questioned by a reporter about the near misses that the information had ‘p *** ed him off’.

Pictured: Parts of the wreckage seen being in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 hit an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 people

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Investigators think that the helicopter associated with the crash may have had inaccurate altitude readings in the minutes before the crash.

The accident likely took place at an altitude simply under 300 feet, as the airplane came down towards the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limit for that location.

On Tuesday American Airlines welcomed the report by the NTSB, saying: ‘We’re grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board’s immediate security recommendations to limit helicopter traffic near DCA and for its comprehensive investigation.

‘We will continue to coordinate carefully with PSA Airlines as it complies as an investigative celebration member.’

The helicopter pilots might have also missed out on part of another communication, when the tower stated the jet was turning towards a various runway, Homendy stated last month.

The helicopter was on a ‘check’ flight that night where the pilot was undergoing a yearly test and a test on using night vision safety glasses, Homendy said.

Investigators think the team was using night vision goggles throughout the flight.

The Army has said the Black Hawk crew was extremely experienced, and accustomed to the congested skies around the nation ´ s capital.

At the time of the accident, a single air traffic controller was concurrently keeping track of both the helicopter and airplane traffic.

Those jobs are typically dealt with in between 2 people from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to an early seen by The New york city Times.

Those tasks are generally managed in between 2 individuals from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance footage taken from inside the airport recorded the minute the 2 collided in midair

At the time of the accident, a single air traffic controller was at the same time keeping track of both the helicopter and aircraft traffic. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen here

After 9:30 pm the tasks are generally combined and left to someone as the airport sees less traffic later in the night.

A supervisor reportedly chose to combine those duties before the arranged cutoff time nevertheless, and enabled one air traffic controller to leave work early.

The FAA report stated that staffing setup ‘was not typical for the time of day and volume of traffic’.

Reagan National has actually been understaffed for lots of years, with just 19 completely certified controllers as of September 2023 – well listed below the target of 30 – according to the most current Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress.

The scenario appeared to have actually enhanced ever since, as a source told CNN the Reagan National control tower was 85 percent staffed with 24 of 28 positions filled.

Chronic understaffing at air traffic control towers is absolutely nothing brand-new, with well-known causes including high turnover and spending plan cuts.

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In order to fill the gaps, controllers are regularly asked to work 10-hour days, six days a week.

After the release of the report, previous Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo considered the findings as ‘unusual’.

She said: ‘This NTSB action is highly uncommon. The release of an emergency situation recommendation asking for the FAA take instant action, before the completion of the NTSB investigation is uncommon.’

The two airplane had actually clashed in a huge fireball that was visible on dashcams of automobiles driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

Less than a month later on, on February 17, a Delta guest airplane crashed-landed upside down in disorderly scenes at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada.

Miraculously, everybody on board endured after being suspended upside-down by their seat belts for a number of minutes till they tentatively began evacuating.

The aircraft had actually been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis – Saint Paul International Airport with 76 travelers and 4 team members on board.

Some 21 people were required to the health center for treatment to minor injuries, and Delta has used each person a no-strings $30,000 payment in payment.

And the plane carnage is continuous – on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a parking area of a rural Pennsylvania retirement community.

Dramatic footage revealed the Beechcraft A36TC erupt in flames in the car park of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five individuals were rushed to hospital.

Medics, ambulances, and emergency vehicles rushed to the scene in Lancaster County as flames engulfed the airplane and neighboring cars.

The airplane took off as scheduled on Sunday afternoon, but rapidly requested to land back on the tarmac since its door had opened.

American Airlines