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2mo ago

NTSB Hearings Reveal Altitude Instrument and Communication Failures in Washington Midair Collision

Investigators disclosed altimeter discrepancies, with a missed radio directive revealing how the collision occurred.

Family members of the victims of American Airlines flight 5342 who perished in a collision with a U.S. military helicopter, listen to opening statements 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.
FILE - Salvage crews work on recovering wreckage 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, Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)
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National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy presides over 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.)

Overview

  • Evidence from animation and surveillance video showed the Army Black Hawk exceeded its 200-foot route ceiling by 80 to 100 feet due to faulty altimeter readings.
  • Cockpit audio indicates the helicopter crew’s keyed microphone blocked an ATC instruction to pass behind the incoming jet just 20 seconds before impact.
  • Tests on three sister Black Hawks confirmed similar altimeter errors caused by the 1970s-era design lacking modern air data computers.
  • Senator Ted Cruz’s ADS-B In and Out mandate advanced in the Senate, aiming to strip military exemptions and enhance traffic visibility for all aircraft.
  • Federal reviews of helicopter routes and air traffic controller staffing at Reagan National Airport have been launched by the FAA and U.S. Army.