A devastating collision between a regional passenger jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Jan. 29 left 67 lives lost, highlighting the failures of both government agencies and air traffic controllers.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that investigators have identified numerous mistakes and system failures in the lead-up to the crash. These include faulty altimeter readings by the Army helicopters, limited visibility for the helicopter crew due to poor radio communication quality, and inadequate responses from Air Traffic Administration officials.
One of the most critical issues was the Army’s use of two different types of altimeters that gave conflicting readings to pilots flying in sensitive airspace with strict height limits. This discrepancy could lead to altitude errors as high as 100 feet below the recorded reading.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) policy states that if an altimeter is off by 75 feet or greater, it should be referred for repair. However, Army pilots were reportedly told that discrepancies of up to 80 feet would not be cause for alarm.
The NTSB’s investigation also found that air traffic controllers relied on the helicopter crew to avoid collisions, despite warnings from air traffic controllers about dangers in the crowded airspace around Reagan National Airport.
“Are you kidding me? 67 people are dead. How do you explain that?” said NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy during public hearings. Family members of the victims expressed frustration with government officials’ inaction and demanded accountability for those responsible.
The Army’s own safety working group had raised concerns about close calls to military leadership, but their warnings were ignored or dismissed due to security concerns.
In the aftermath of the crash, air traffic restrictions have been put in place, including the permanent closure of a critical helicopter route near the airport. The NTSB will continue to investigate and issue recommendations until next year.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/07/30/ntsb-documents-dc-plane-crash-reagan-national-airport