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Congress Questions FAA and Army Over Deadly Midair Collision Near Reagan Airport

The January crash that killed 67 people has exposed systemic aviation safety failures, with lawmakers demanding accountability and reforms.

In front of a graphic of a recommendation from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy speaks during a news conference following up on the issuance of the NTSB preliminary report on the mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Tuesday, March 11, 2025, at the Department of Transportation in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
Rescuers on a boat work next to the wreckage of a Black Hawk helicopter, as the sun rises, at the site of the crash after it collided with the American Eagle flight 5342, which was approaching Reagan Washington National Airport, and crashed into the Potomac River, outside Washington, U.S., January 30, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/File Photo
Image
Salvage crews pull up part of a Black Hawk helicopter near the site in the Potomac River of a mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk helicopter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Feb. 6 in Arlington, Virginia. (AP/Jose Luis Magana)

Overview

  • The Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing on March 27 to address the January 29 collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River.
  • NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy criticized the FAA for failing to act on years of safety data showing 85 near misses in the same airspace from 2021 to 2024.
  • The FAA has permanently restricted certain helicopter routes near Reagan National Airport and is using AI to analyze safety risks at other airports with heavy helicopter traffic.
  • The Black Hawk helicopter was flying above its 200-foot altitude limit and had its ADS-B location broadcasting system turned off, raising concerns about military aviation practices.
  • Victim families, including the Crafton family, have filed claims against the FAA and U.S. Army, alleging the crash was preventable and seeking accountability for systemic failures.