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Federal investigators have actually raised issues of a potential for another fatal aircraft crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair collision earlier this year eliminated 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board provided an update on their examination into the reason for the catastrophe which occurred on January 29 in Washington.

An American Airlines jetliner and a Black Hawk military helicopter collided in midair over the Potomac River, eliminating everyone on board both airplanes.

As part of a preliminary report launched on Tuesday, private investigators raised concerns of more collisions including helicopters at the airport.

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

Her issues revolve around Transport Secretary Sean Duffy moving to restrict helicopter traffic around the area, but that is set to cease at the end of the month.

When cops, medical or presidential transportation helicopters must use the space civilian aircrafts are stopped from being in the very same area.

Homendy stated the NTSB is now recommending that the FAA find a 'irreversible solution' for detours for helicopters when 2 of the airport's runways are in usage.

Emergency units react after a traveler airplane hit 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 speaks to reporters about the 29 January mid-air crash

It was likewise exposed on Tuesday that there was alerting check in the lead up to the lethal catastrophe.

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

It was uncovered that 15,214 'near-miss events' of planes getting alerts about helicopters being in close proximity in between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB also said that there were 85 cases where 2 aircraft where laterally divided by less than 1,500 feet, and a vertical separation of less than 200 feet.

Homendy included: 'That information from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) might have used that details at any time to figure out that we have a trend here and a problem here, and looked at that route; that didn't take place, which is why we're doing something about it today. But regrettably, individuals lost lives, and loved ones are grieving.'

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

Duffy stated: 'I believe the question is when this data comes in how did the FAA not understand. How did they not study the data to say "hello, this is a location, we are having near misses out on and if we do not change our methods we are gon na lose lives".'

He included: 'That wasn't done, perhaps there was a focus on something other than safety.'

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

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

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

The crash likely occurred 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, saying: 'We're grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board's urgent security suggestions to restrict helicopter traffic near DCA and for its comprehensive examination.

'We will continue to collaborate carefully with PSA Airlines as it cooperates as an investigative celebration member.'

The helicopter pilots might have likewise missed out on part of another communication, when the tower said the jet was turning toward a different runway, Homendy said last month.

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

Investigators believe the team was wearing night vision goggles throughout the flight.

The Army has stated the Black Hawk team was highly experienced, and accustomed to the crowded skies around the nation ´ s capital.

At the time of the accident, a single air traffic controller was concurrently keeping an eye on both the helicopter and plane traffic.

Those tasks are normally dealt with between two people from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New york city Times.

Those jobs are normally handled in between 2 individuals from 10am till 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance video footage drawn from inside the airport recorded the moment the 2 collided in midair

At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was at the same time keeping an eye on both the helicopter and airplane traffic. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen here

After 9:30 pm the responsibilities are generally integrated and delegated one person as the airport sees less traffic later on in the night.

A manager supposedly chose to integrate those tasks before the arranged cutoff time nevertheless, and permitted one air traffic controller to leave work early.

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

Reagan National has been understaffed for several years, with just 19 totally certified controllers as of September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress.

The scenario appeared to have actually enhanced ever since, as a source told 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 well-known causes consisting of high turnover and spending plan cuts.

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In order to fill the spaces, controllers are regularly asked to work 10-hour days, 6 days a week.

After the release of the report, former Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo deemed the findings as 'uncommon'.

She said: 'This NTSB action is extremely uncommon. The release of an emergency situation suggestion asking for the FAA take immediate action, before the conclusion of the NTSB investigation is uncommon.'

The two aircraft had actually collided in a substantial fireball that was visible on dashcams of cars driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

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

Miraculously, everybody on board endured after being suspended upside-down by their seatbelts for several minutes up until they tentatively began evacuating.

The plane had actually been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport with 76 passengers and four team members on board.

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

And the aircraft carnage is continuous - on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a car park of a rural Pennsylvania retirement home.

Dramatic footage showed the Beechcraft A36TC appear in flames in the parking lot of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five people were hurried to health center.

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

The plane took off as arranged on Sunday afternoon, however quickly requested to land back on the tarmac due to the fact that its door had opened.

American Airlines