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11h ago

NTSB Hearings Expose Altimeter Faults and Tower Overload in DC Midair Crash

Congress is advancing a bill to mandate ADS-B In/Out technology in response to the board’s findings

National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy presides over day three of an NTSB investigative hearing on the January midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet, at NTSB headquarters in Washington, DC.
National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy, on monitor left, swears-in the witnesses from left: Dan Cooper, Sikorsky Aircraft, Lance Gant, Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Army CW4 Kylene Lewis, Steve Braddom, U.S. Army, and Scott Rosengren, U.S. Army, during the NTSB fact-finding hearing on the DCA midair collision accident, at the National Transportation and Safety Board boardroom, Wednesday, July 30, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
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Overview

  • On the third and final hearing day, NTSB investigators revealed the Black Hawk’s barometric altimeter under-reported true altitude by 80–100 feet, driving it above its 200-foot route limit.
  • Testimony showed that a single controller juggling helicopters and arriving jets on separate frequencies led to multiple “stepped-on” transmissions and hampered situational awareness.
  • Officials disclosed that many Army helicopters routinely flew with ADS-B Out systems switched off or misinstalled, preventing reliable positional tracking.
  • Board chair Jennifer Homendy sharply criticized the FAA for dismissing at least 85 near-miss warnings and for bureaucratic delays in updating routes and chart cautions.
  • Sen. Ted Cruz and other lawmakers have introduced legislation to require all aircraft operators, including the Department of Defense, to equip and use both ADS-B Out and ADS-B In systems.