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

Federal investigators have raised issues of a capacity for another lethal aircraft crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair collision earlier this year killed 67.

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

An American Airlines jetliner and a Black Hawk military helicopter clashed in midair over the Potomac River, killing everybody on board both aircrafts.

As part of a preliminary report launched on Tuesday, investigators raised concerns of more accidents involving helicopters at the airport.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said: 'We remain worried about the considerable potential for future mid-air collision at DCA.'

Her concerns focus on Transport Secretary Sean Duffy moving to restrict helicopter traffic around the location, however that is set to cease at the end of the month.

When cops, medical or presidential transportation helicopters should utilize the area civilian aircrafts are stopped from remaining in the same location.

Homendy stated the NTSB is now advising that the FAA discover a 'long-term option' for detours for helicopters when 2 of the airport's runways remain in use.

Emergency systems react after a traveler aircraft clashed with 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 talks to press reporters about the 29 January mid-air collision

It was also exposed on Tuesday that there was alerting signs in the lead up to the fatal disaster.

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

It was revealed that 15,214 'near-miss occasions' of airplanes getting notifies about helicopters remaining in close distance between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB also said 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 added: 'That information from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) could have utilized that info at any time to identify that we have a trend 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 sadly, people lost lives, and liked ones are grieving.'

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

Duffy said: 'I believe the question is when this data is available in how did the FAA not know. How did they not study the information to say "hey, this is a hot spot, we are having near misses out on and if we don't change our methods we are gon na lose lives".'

He included: 'That wasn't done, perhaps there was a focus on something besides security.'

Duffy would later on added when questioned by a press reporter about the near misses out on that the data had 'p *** ed him off'.

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

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Investigators believe that the helicopter associated with the crash might have had incorrect altitude readings in the minutes before the crash.

The collision most likely happened at an altitude just under 300 feet, as the aircraft descended towards the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limitation for that area.

On Tuesday American Airlines welcomed the report by the NTSB, stating: 'We're grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board's immediate safety recommendations to restrict helicopter traffic near DCA and for its extensive examination.

'We will continue to collaborate closely with PSA Airlines as it complies as an investigative party member.'

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

The helicopter was on a 'check' flight that night where the pilot was undergoing an annual test and a test on using night vision safety glasses, Homendy stated.

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

The Army has said the Black Hawk team was extremely experienced, and accustomed to the crowded skies around the country ´ s capital.

At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was simultaneously keeping an eye on both the helicopter and airplane traffic.

Those tasks are usually dealt with in between 2 people from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New York Times.

Those jobs are generally dealt with between two individuals from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance video footage taken from inside the airport captured the moment the 2 collided in midair

At the time of the crash, a single air traffic controller was simultaneously monitoring 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 manager reportedly chose to combine those responsibilities before the set up cutoff time nevertheless, and enabled one air traffic controller to leave work early.

The FAA report said that staffing setup 'was not typical for the time of day and volume of traffic'.

Reagan National has been understaffed for numerous years, with just 19 fully accredited controllers since September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most current Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress.

The scenario appeared to have improved since then, as a source informed 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 new, with widely known causes including high turnover and budget cuts.

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In order to fill the gaps, controllers are often 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 deemed the findings as 'uncommon'.

She stated: 'This NTSB action is highly unusual. The release of an emergency situation suggestion requesting the FAA take instant action, before the conclusion of the NTSB examination is unusual.'

The 2 aircraft had clashed in a big fireball that showed up on dashcams of automobiles driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

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

Miraculously, everybody on board survived after being suspended upside-down by their seat belts for numerous minutes till they tentatively started evacuating.

The aircraft had actually been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport with 76 guests and 4 crew members on board.

Some 21 people were taken to the hospital for treatment to minor injuries, and Delta has actually offered each person a no-strings $30,000 payout in settlement.

And the plane carnage is ongoing - on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a car park of a suburban Pennsylvania retirement community.

Dramatic video showed the Beechcraft A36TC erupt in flames in the car park of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five people were hurried to hospital.

Medics, ambulances, and emergency situation automobiles rushed to the scene in Lancaster County as flames engulfed the airplane and nearby vehicles.