A congressional hearing has exposed that federal aviation authorities had data showing dozens of near misses at Reagan National Airport prior to the catastrophic January collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter that killed 67 people.
At a glance:
• A congressional hearing revealed the January midair collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people could have been prevented
• The FAA failed to identify a trend despite data showing 85 dangerous close calls between aircraft near Reagan National Airport in the three years before the crash
• The Army helicopter had not transmitted location data for 730 days prior to the collision
• President Trump blamed the helicopter for flying too high and criticized federal diversity efforts
• New safety measures include required location broadcasting for all aircraft near Reagan National and restrictions on helicopter traffic
Federal Agencies Under Fire For Safety Lapses
FAA acting administrator Chris Rocheleau faced tough questioning during the hearing, and admitted serious failures in aviation safety oversight. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that they had documented 85 dangerous close calls between planes and helicopters near Reagan National in the three years preceding the fatal crash.
Rocheleau acknowledged the agency’s shortcomings, stating: “We have to do better. We have to identify trends, we have to get smarter about how we use data, and when we put corrective actions in place, we must execute them.” The FAA is now conducting an AI-led review to identify similar safety threats at airports with helicopter-airplane congestion.
Military Accountability and Protocols Questioned
The hearing furthermore exposed deficiencies in Army aviation protocols that directly contributed to the fatal collision. NTSB investigators discovered the Black Hawk helicopter involved in the crash had not transmitted location data for an astounding 730 days prior to the incident, with other helicopters in the same unit having similar compliance issues.
It was revealed that the helicopter crew was using night-vision goggles during the flight, which limited their peripheral vision and ability to spot other aircraft. Additionally, the U.S. Army’s Head of Aviation admitted that military helicopters frequently fly with location systems turned off due to mission sensitivity. This practice can create dangerous blind spots in air traffic control systems designed to prevent exactly this type of collision.
New Safety Measures and Presidential Response
In response to the tragedy, the FAA has implemented several immediate safety changes for the airspace around Washington D.C. Helicopter traffic around Reagan National has been restricted, and specific routes limited.
The FAA will now require all aircraft operating near Reagan National to broadcast their locations using “ADS-B out data,” which will enable improved tracking by air traffic controllers.
President Trump weighed in on the tragedy, placing blame on the helicopter for flying too high and criticizing federal diversity initiatives within the transportation sector.
Investigators are still working to determine the precise cause of the collision, with a final NTSB report expected next year.
