Aviation accident in Washington's capital revealed to be a long-term issue, as per disclosures made to the National Transportation Safety Board by an air traffic manager.
The tragic mid-air collision near Reagan National Airport in January 2025, which claimed the lives of 67 individuals, has been the subject of extensive investigation. The accident, it appears, was the result of a series of factors, including altitude deviations by a military helicopter, disabled safety technology, inadequate air traffic management, and longstanding unaddressed risks in a busy airspace.
The Army Black Hawk helicopter involved in the accident was found to have its Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B Out) system turned off, a device crucial for broadcasting aircraft location to other planes and controllers. This oversight, combined with the helicopter's crew not knowing their true altitude due to faulty altimeters, contributed to the collision.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also faced criticism for ignoring prior warnings about helicopter traffic risks in the crowded airspace and not issuing caution advisories for pilots. The accident occurred during a busy period when one controller was managing both commercial and helicopter traffic, exacerbating the workload and potential for error. Historical data revealed at least 85 near misses in the same area prior to the collision, indicating systemic safety issues over many years rather than a single-night problem.
In an effort to prevent such incidents in the future, several measures have been proposed. These include legislation to require all aircraft, including Department of Defense helicopters, to operate with both ADS-B Out and ADS-B In systems, stricter monitoring and regulation of helicopter operations in congested airspace, improvements to air traffic control resources and procedures, and a focus on addressing broader systemic issues in Washington’s crowded airspace management to reduce risk.
The NTSB's investigation into the cause of the accident continues, with a final report expected by January 2026. In the meantime, a bill in Congress titled the "Rotor Act" has been introduced, which would require all aircraft, including military aircraft, to transmit ADSB location when flying.
Despite these calls for action, tensions remain high in the tower following the crash. A shouting match turned into a fist fight, ending with a controller being arrested. The acting deputy chief operating officer with the Air Traffic Organization, Nick Fuller, stated that no one was removed as a result of the accident. However, Bryan Lehman, air traffic manager at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control, testified that controllers sent a memo to their superiors in 2023 requesting a lower arrival rate for airplanes, but the concerns were dismissed and Congress approved more flights for DCA.
The NTSB's investigation found discrepancies in the altitude data on Army helicopters' radio and barometric altimeters. Army Lt. Col. Paul Flanigen stated that ADSB has spoofing vulnerabilities which make it non-conducive for sensitive missions. However, it's worth noting that the Army helicopter did not hear the command from the air traffic controller to "pass behind the CRJ".
The accident involved an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, marking the nation's first major commercial airline crash since 2009. Despite the tragic event, it serves as a stark reminder of the need for improved safety measures in our crowded skies.
- The extended investigation into the mid-air collision near Reagan National Airport in January 2025 urges for the implementation of ADSB location transmission for all aircraft, including military aircraft, as proposed in the "Rotor Act" in Congress.
- The tragedy, which claimed 67 lives, was a result of a combination of factors, including disabled technology, inadequate air traffic management, and unaddressed safety issues in a busy airspace across years.
- In the wake of the accident, attention has shifted to the politics within the General-news and Crime-and-justice sectors, with a focus on the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) dismissal of prior warnings about helicopter traffic risks, controllers' concerns being ignored, and a controller's on-site disturbance following the crash.
- The investigative findings suggest that the Army Black Hawk helicopter involved in the collision had its Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B Out) system turned off, and its crew was unaware of their true altitude due to faulty altimeters, both contributing to the accident.
- To prevent similar disasters, several measures have been proposed, such as stricter monitoring and regulation of helicopter operations, improvements to air traffic control resources and procedures, and addressing wider systemic issues in Washington's congested airspace management.
- Amid the ongoing NTSB investigation, tensions in the air traffic control tower persist, with reports of a shouting match and a fist fight that led to an arrest, as well as air traffic managers' concerns being dismissed by their superiors in 2023.
