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


The National Transportation Safety Board gave an upgrade on their examination into the cause of 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, killing everyone on board both airplanes.


As part of an initial report launched on Tuesday, detectives raised issues of more accidents including helicopters at the airport.


NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy stated: 'We stay worried about the substantial capacity for future mid-air accident at DCA.'


Her concerns focus on Transport Secretary Sean Duffy transferring to restrict helicopter traffic around the area, however that is set to stop at the end of the month.


When police, medical or presidential transportation helicopters must use the space civilian planes are stopped from remaining in the exact same area.


Homendy stated the NTSB is now suggesting that the FAA find a 'long-term solution' for detours for helicopters when two of the airport's runways are in usage.


Emergency systems respond after a passenger airplane clashed with 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 with reporters about the 29 January mid-air accident


It was likewise revealed on Tuesday that there was cautioning check in the lead up to the lethal disaster.


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


It was discovered that 15,214 'near-miss events' of airplanes getting signals about helicopters remaining in close distance between October 2021 and December 2024.


The NTSB also stated that there were 85 cases where two 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) could have used that information at any time to figure out that we have a trend here and a problem here, and looked at that path; that didn't happen, which is why we're acting today. But regrettably, people 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 concern is when this data comes in how did the FAA not understand. How did they not study the data to state "hi, this is a hot area, 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, possibly there was a focus on something besides safety.'


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


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


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Investigators think that the helicopter included in the crash may have had incorrect altitude readings in the minutes before the crash.


The collision most likely took place at an altitude just under 300 feet, as the airplane came down towards the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limit for that location.


On Tuesday American Airlines welcomed the report by the NTSB, saying: 'We're grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board's urgent security recommendations to limit helicopter traffic near DCA and for its thorough investigation.


'We will continue to coordinate closely with PSA Airlines as it complies as an investigative party member.'


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


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


Investigators think the crew was using night vision safety glasses throughout the flight.


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


At the time of the crash, a single air traffic controller was all at once monitoring both the helicopter and aircraft traffic.


Those tasks are normally managed 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 typically handled in between two individuals from 10am up until 9:30 pm, according to the report.


Surveillance video footage taken from inside the airport caught the moment the two clashed in midair


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


After 9:30 pm the tasks are usually combined and delegated a single person as the airport sees less traffic later in the night.


A supervisor reportedly chose to integrate those responsibilities before the set up cutoff time however, and permitted one air traffic controller to leave work early.


The FAA report stated that staffing configuration 'was not typical for the time of day and volume of traffic'.


Reagan National has actually been understaffed for several years, with simply 19 totally licensed controllers since September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan sent to Congress.


The circumstance appeared to have actually enhanced ever since, as a source informed CNN the Reagan National control tower was 85 percent staffed with 24 of 28 positions filled.


Chronic understaffing at air traffic control service towers is absolutely nothing new, with popular causes consisting of high turnover and budget cuts.


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In order to fill the gaps, controllers are often 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 considered the findings as 'unusual'.


She stated: 'This NTSB action is highly uncommon. The release of an emergency suggestion requesting the FAA take immediate action, before the conclusion of the NTSB examination is unusual.'


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


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


Miraculously, everyone on board made it through after being suspended upside-down by their seat belts for several minutes up until they tentatively began evacuating.


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


Some 21 individuals were taken to the health center for treatment to small injuries, and Delta has offered everyone a no-strings $30,000 payment in payment.


And the aircraft carnage is ongoing - on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a parking area of a suburban Pennsylvania retirement community.


Dramatic video showed the Beechcraft A36TC erupt in flames in the car park of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five people were hurried to hospital.


Medics, ambulances, and emergency automobiles hurried to the scene in Lancaster County as flames swallowed up the aircraft and close-by vehicles.


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


American Airlines