The National Transport and Safety Commission concluded that on January 29, Army helicopters and commercial airliner “substantial risks to aviation safety” were allowed to separate distances between helicopters and airplanes on the route in which Army helicopters and commercial airliners collided into the air on January 29, according to a preliminary investigation report released Tuesday.
As a result, NTSB recommends that helicopter flights be banned immediately on “Route 4” (Route 4 where a fatal crash occurred).
The board also recommends an alternative helicopter route between Haynes Point and Wilson Bridge if the Route 4 segment is not open to rotary wing traffic.
Scene investigation into a collision between an American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas and the UH-60 Blackhawk on the Potomac River ended on February 14th.
When the aircraft collided, the fuselage of a commercial jet was found to have been broken in three places and knocked down by the deep waters of Potomac's waist. The remains of the helicopter were found nearby. All 64 people are on the Black Hawk with passenger jets and all three Army crew members. Rebecca M. Lobach and Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O'Hara – Killed.
Meanwhile, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homedy said the investigation continues offsite in various labs and other safe locations. The preliminary report shows what happened, but not how or why the crash happened, but said at a briefing on Tuesday.
“For this investigation, we are considering airport operations and previous incidents, including airport crash events,” Homendy said, using a voluntary safety reporting program and information from the Federal Aviation Administration.
That data shows that between 2011 and 2024, the “majority” of reported cases occurred in the landing approach, and initial analysis showed that at least one traffic alert and collision avoidance system, or that the TCAS caused a monthly resolution advisory in the DCA due to proximity to the helicopter.
Unlike traffic recommendations issued when an invading aircraft is about 20 seconds or 0.3 nautical miles from the nearest approach point, the TCAS resolution recommendations indicate a collision threat and require immediate action, Homedy said.
In more than half of the encounters between 2011 and 2024, the helicopters may have flew above the altitude limits of the route. This is limited to ceilings 200 feet above the ground, Homendy said. Two-thirds of the event happened in the evening.
From October 2021 to December 2024, there were 944,179 commercial operations at the DCA, 15,214 “proximity events” between commercial planes and helicopters, “with lateral separation distances less than one nautical miles and vertical separation of less than 400 feet.
Of these 15,214 events, there were 85 very close calls, including lateral separations of vertical separations of less than 1,500 feet and less than 200 feet, according to Homedy.
Through the crash assessment, the NTSB discovered that the Black Hawks were not flying in very limited areas where they were supposed to be flying near the DCA.
“At a maximum altitude of just 200 feet here, the helicopter operating the east coastline of the Potomac River will have a vertical separation of just 75 feet from the plane approaching runway 33,” Hotendy said.
After the accident, U.S. Department of Transportation, Sean Duffy, immediately restricted helicopter traffic across the DCA's Potomac River until March 31st.
“As that deadline approaches, we continue to be concerned about the important potential of future airborne collisions at the DCA, so we recommend a permanent solution today,” Homendy pointed out.
Homedy has permitted the restriction of major aviation corridors for Coast Guard patrol, law enforcement and government operations by completely closing Route 4 between Hains Point and Wilson Bridge when Runways 15 and 33 are in use.
However, she said that requiring the controller to retain helicopters north or south of the DCA during that time could also add to the controller workload and increase risk. Therefore, the NTSB recommends establishing an alternative helicopter route between Haynes Point and Wilson Bridge if the route 4 segment is closed.
Although a preliminary report has been released, Homedy said the team “have a lot to do” including simulations, visibility studies and additional interviews related to helicopter operations and air traffic control.
When asked at the briefing whether NTSB would call the resulting crashes monitoring, Holden said: …The data we attracted comes from a voluntary safety reporting system that the FAA could have used at any time. Data from October 2021 to December 2024 could use this information at any time to determine whether there are trends and issues here and to look into the route.
“It didn't happen. So we're taking action today, but unfortunately, people are losing their lives and their loved ones are sad.”
Jen Judson is an award-winning journalist covering the land wars of defense news. She also works for Politico and Inside Defense. She holds a Masters in Science in Journalism from Boston University and a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon University.
