WASHINGTON, DC (WAVY) – The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is set to kick off a three-day investigative hearing on the airborne collision that took place on January 29, involving an American Airlines regional jet and an Army helicopter. The tragic incident resulted in the loss of 67 lives.
“This is going to hit hard,” said Rachel Ferez, who lost her husband, two daughters, and herself on Flight 5342.
In a preliminary report released on March 7th, the NTSB shed light on the moments leading up to the collision over the Potomac River. Aviation attorney Justin Green has filed 25 notices of claim against the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Army, representing 31 families of those affected by the incident.
Green highlighted that the airspace around Ronald Reagan National Airport acts much like a highway for helicopters, where two crucial rules must be followed: maintaining a low altitude, ideally under 200 feet, and ensuring that helicopters yield to incoming and outgoing aircraft.
However, the Army helicopter, designated as PAT25, was flying at an altitude of 278 feet during the crash, according to initial NTSB findings.
PAT25’s Mission
For context, Flight 5342 was nearing Washington, D.C., after departing from Wichita National Airport. Meanwhile, PAT25 was journeying from Davison Army Airfield in Virginia. Green, a seasoned Marine Corps pilot, explained how night vision goggles, which amplify surrounding light, can limit a pilot’s field of view—only allowing them to see about 40 degrees rather than the near 110 degrees the naked eye can perceive. This complicates situational awareness, especially in urban environments where bright lights can be blinding.
Visual Separation
The NTSB report notes that about two and a half minutes before the crash, an instructor pilot aboard PAT25 instructed the crew to descend to 300 feet. Shortly after, the crew communicated with air traffic control (ATC) regarding visual separation from Flight 5342, which had been acknowledged by ATC.
The distance between the two aircraft was approximately 6.5 nautical miles at that point. Yet, just 20 seconds before the collision, the DCA air traffic controller checked if Flight 5342 was visible to the PAT25 crew. Almost simultaneously, Flight 5342 was warned of nearby traffic.
Unfortunately, despite a last-minute pitch change from Flight 5342 to avoid the collision, they could not evade it in time. Green expressed concern over why the Black Hawk didn’t spot Flight 5342 and vice versa, raising further questions about the decision-making of air traffic control in that busy airspace.
Near Miss Data in DCA
The NTSB’s preliminary study reviewed almost a million commercial operations at DCA over a three-year span, revealing numerous incidents of dangerously close encounters in the same airspace. As a result of this tragic accident, the FAA has restricted helicopter traffic over the Potomac River until March 2025.
The findings paint a troubling picture that suggests serious risks still exist. Although PAT25 operated within the designated airspace, the NTSB emphasizes that it exceeded the maximum allowable altitude while on a collision course with Flight 5342.
Conclusion
The ongoing investigation will likely reveal more details about the critical decisions and miscommunications that led to this disaster, which remains a significant concern for aviation safety.
