"Some key themes emerged: The jet's pilot was not alerted about the helicopter; airspace in the nation's capital was crowded the night of Jan. 29, 2025; and warnings for years to reroute helicopter traffic were ignored. NTSB members seemed deeply troubled over missed opportunities and worried that additional disasters may occur if the government doesn't act on the investigation findings."
"Before hearing from investigators, Inman said "systemic issues across multiple organizations," not an error by any individual, caused the tragedy. Everyone aboard the jet, flying from Wichita, Kansas, and the Black Hawk helicopter died when the two aircraft collided and plummeted into the icy Potomac River. It was the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil since 2001, and the victims included 28 members of the figure skating community."
An American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair near Reagan National Airport on Jan. 29, 2025, killing 67 people. An air traffic controller felt overwhelmed minutes before the collision. The jet's pilot was not alerted about the helicopter, and the capital's airspace was crowded that night. Longstanding warnings to reroute helicopter traffic had been ignored, and investigators identified systemic issues across multiple organizations rather than a single individual's error. The FAA made a permanent change to separate helicopter and airplane airspace, and the NTSB will recommend additional actions while families seek meaningful change.
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
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