The United States has acknowledged that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Army were involved in a collision between a commercial airliner and a military helicopter near the nation’s capital that resulted in the deaths of 67 individuals.
In response to the initial lawsuit filed by a victim’s family on December 17, the government stated that it bears some responsibility for the incident due to the air traffic controller’s failure to adhere to proper procedures regarding visual separation with pilots on the night of the crash.
The filing indicated that the Army helicopter pilots neglected to maintain alertness to avoid the airline jet, leading to government accountability. However, it also suggested that factors such as the actions of the jet’s pilots and the airlines may have contributed. American Airlines and PSA Airlines have moved to dismiss their roles in the crash as stated in the lawsuit.
Following the collision at Ronald Reagan National Airport in northern Virginia, where the helicopter crossed paths with the American Airlines jet, the recovery of at least 28 bodies from the Potomac River marked the deadliest aviation accident in the U.S. in over two decades. The jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, while the Black Hawk helicopter had three soldiers on board.
Attorney Robert Clifford, representing victim Casey Crafton’s family, mentioned that the government has accepted responsibility for the tragic loss of lives caused by the Army’s actions. Additionally, the government acknowledged the FAA’s failure to adhere to air traffic control procedures and recognized the contributions of the two airlines to the incident.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is slated to release its report on the crash’s cause in early 2020. Investigators have identified multiple factors, including the helicopter’s incorrect altitude leading to insufficient spacing between aircraft landing and helicopters passing below at the airport’s secondary runway.
Furthermore, the NTSB highlighted the FAA’s failure to address the risks around the busy airport, despite 85 close calls in the three years preceding the crash.
The FAA officials admitted during the NTSB hearings that controllers at the airport had overly relied on visual separation, a practice that has now been discontinued by the agency.
Witnesses informed the NTSB that they had doubts about the helicopter crew’s ability to spot the plane while using night vision goggles and questioned the pilots’ observation angles.
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