New information has come to light regarding the tragic crash involving an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter in January, which resulted in 67 fatalities near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
A detailed three-day hearing by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and numerous documents suggest that the measurements used by Black Hawk helicopters might be flawed, especially when flying over the Potomac River—specifically during the moments leading up to a collision.
This incident, along with other non-fatal disruptions at various U.S. airports, has raised concerns about the ongoing issues surrounding air traffic control staffing and operations.
On the second day of the hearings, there were discussions about DCA’s complicated airspace management, with remarks such as “We’re just going to make it work,” highlighting ongoing issues.
Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) defended the air traffic controller involved, referring to them as a “civil servant,” yet acknowledged the myriad challenges faced by both airports and safety regulators.
“We’re testing the limits,” admitted Clark Allen, who was the DCA operations manager during the crash.
Here are some key points from the first two days of the hearing:
The Black Hawk helicopter had conflicting altitude readings
The hearing revealed that the Army helicopter was flying above the designated altitude limit before its collision with the American Airlines plane. However, this might not have been clear to those in the cockpit.
Investigators indicated that the helicopter’s barometric altimeter, which responds to air pressure changes, showed lower readings compared to other altimeters that rely on radar. Test flights with three other Black Hawk helicopters reflected inconsistencies ranging between 80 to 130 feet.
Army officer Killen Lewis, who provided testimony, mentioned that he wouldn’t necessarily find the different altitudes particularly alarming, especially those influenced by radar at lower elevations.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homedy noted that the board is contemplating new safety recommendations associated with altimeter usage.
Rick Dressler, the aviation site manager for Medevac, raised concerns that civilian helicopter pilots have been apprehensive about military flights in the vicinity for some time. “I don’t want to be overly dramatic, but it makes us all quite uneasy,” he said.
Safety board head criticizes FAA for inaction on warnings
A working group of air traffic controllers suggested a different flight path for helicopters around DCA in 2022, including the one linked to the current investigation. However, one controller revealed that the district manager had mentioned the potential impact of this proposal, labeling the new conflict risk areas as “too political.”
NTSB head Homedy criticized FAA officials during the initial day of the hearing, describing their response as overly bureaucratic. “We’ve created silos instead of addressing the fact that everyone knew there was a problem,” she remarked. “How do you explain 67 dead? Fix it. We can do better,” she added.
Army pilots struggled with air traffic control communications
According to a transcript released by the NTSB, pilots from the Black Hawk helicopter had trouble hearing instructions from DCA’s air traffic control. Helicopter pilot Rebecca Robach expressed that the radio communication was “really poor” and questioned whether the sounds coming from the tower were muffled.
During the session, Robach’s instructor admitted he “definitely missed some instructions,” indicating a concern that they may not have received critical instructions about maneuvering behind a landing American Airlines flight.
The released NTSB transcript confirmed that critical transmissions from the tower were not picked up in the Black Hawk cockpit.
Air Traffic Supervisor: Staffing and training issues went unaddressed
Much of the second day of the hearing highlighted the staffing and training of DCA air traffic controllers. Air traffic control quality specialist James Jarvis mentioned that DCA has historically faced “low staffing” issues. He oversaw operations there until 2023.
Jarvis had raised concerns with several management figures about staffing shortages. “I brought it up on numerous occasions and was told to stop,” he stated, claiming the lack of personnel “absolutely” hampered training effectiveness.
“There aren’t enough individuals to conduct the training required,” he noted, emphasizing the unique complexities of DCA’s airspace, where military routes often intersect with heavy commercial flight traffic.
Traffic Controller reports feeling “overwhelmed” prior to the crash
Amid the collision, a single air traffic controller was managing both aircraft and helicopter traffic—something atypical under normal circumstances.
“He was issuing clearances, and it was apparent he was struggling. He looked overwhelmed,” a pilot recalled during the investigation. “He seemed, quite frankly, overworked,” they observed.
The controller told investigators he began to feel “a bit overwhelmed” about 10 to 15 minutes before the tragic incident occurred.
Meanwhile, the tower’s assistant noted that the controller had instructed the helicopter to proceed behind the plane during the mayhem.
“There were frequent helicopter operations, so I was busy noting what the helicopter was doing,” the assistant remarked. “Then I heard an explosion and looked up.”
