The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that the tragic midair collision near Washington, D.C., last year was entirely preventable, highlighting years of ignored safety warnings and systemic failures. The crash, which killed 67 people—including 28 members of the figure skating community—occurred when an American Airlines jet collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport.
During a tense hearing Tuesday, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy described the incident as the result of “deep, underlying systemic failures” that aligned to create deadly conditions. She drew parallels to previous midair disasters, including the 1969 collision in Indiana that killed 83 and a 2019 Alaska crash that claimed six lives, calling the similarities “chilling.”
“We could have blamed flight crews, individual pilots, maintenance personnel or controllers, but we didn’t because we have long, long recognized that human error is a symptom of a system that needs to be redesigned,” Homendy said.
Board member Todd Inman stressed the human toll of these incidents: “I did 13 family briefings, and I am tired of doing them… the pages of these reports are written in your family members’ blood.”
Investigators identified multiple factors contributing to the crash: overwhelmed air traffic controllers, the FAA’s failure to reroute helicopter traffic safely, and inadequate pilot alert systems. Investigators also noted that Reagan controllers had not received specialized training that could have improved situational awareness.
NTSB investigator Katherine Wilson said the tower controller was managing up to 12 aircraft simultaneously, which “reduced his situational awareness.” The pilots of both aircraft were fully qualified, rested, and medically cleared, and both aircraft were properly maintained.
The collision occurred at around 300 feet, higher than the helicopter’s allowed altitude of 200 feet. Investigators believe the helicopter pilots likely never saw the jet, and airline pilots may have spotted the helicopter only two seconds before impact.
Homendy criticized the FAA for inaction despite repeated warnings. “We should be angry, because for years no one listened… This was 100% preventable,” she said.
Following the hearing, the NTSB issued 40 recommendations, most targeting the FAA. These include safety culture reforms, revised helicopter routing, and standardized definitions for near-miss events to prevent future tragedies.
In response, the FAA reduced plane arrivals at Reagan from 36 to 30 per hour and increased staffing. “We will diligently consider any additional recommendations,” the agency said.
Families of the victims hope the recommendations lead to real change. Doug Lane, who lost his wife and son, said, “100%, I feel like the FAA failed me and my family.”
The NTSB’s findings underscore longstanding issues within U.S. air traffic control and the urgent need to prevent another avoidable disaster.
