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Federal investigators have actually raised concerns of a potential for another fatal aircraft crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair collision previously this year eliminated 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board offered an upgrade on their investigation into the cause of the catastrophe which happened 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 aircrafts.

As part of an initial report released on Tuesday, detectives raised concerns of more crashes involving helicopters at the airport.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said: 'We remain concerned about the significant potential for future mid-air accident at DCA.'

Her concerns revolve around Transport Secretary Sean Duffy moving to restrict helicopter traffic around the location, but that is set to stop at the end of the month.

When police, medical or governmental transport helicopters need to utilize the area civilian aircrafts are stopped from remaining in the exact same area.

Homendy stated the NTSB is now advising that the FAA find a 'irreversible service' for alternate paths for helicopters when two of the airport's runways are in use.

Emergency units react after a traveler aircraft hit 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 to press reporters about the 29 January mid-air collision

It was likewise exposed on Tuesday that there was warning signs in the lead up to the lethal catastrophe.

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

It was revealed that 15,214 'near-miss occasions' of planes getting alerts about helicopters remaining in close proximity in between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB likewise said 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 added: 'That data from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) could have utilized that info at any time to identify that we have a trend here and a problem here, and looked at that route; that didn't occur, which is why we're doing something about it today. But sadly, people lost lives, and loved ones are grieving.'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed these findings at a later press conference on Tuesday.

Duffy said: 'I believe the question is when this information comes in how did the FAA not know. How did they not study the data to say "hey, this is a hot area, we are having near misses and if we don't alter our ways we are gon na lose lives".'

He added: 'That wasn't done, maybe there was a concentrate on something besides security.'

Duffy would later on included when questioned by a 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 hit an Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 people

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Investigators think that the helicopter included in the crash might have had inaccurate elevation readings in the minutes before the crash.

The accident likely took place at an altitude simply under 300 feet, as the airplane descended towards the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limit for that location.

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

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

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

The helicopter was on a 'check' flight that night where the pilot was going through a yearly test and a test on utilizing night vision safety glasses, Homendy stated.

Investigators believe the team was wearing night vision safety glasses throughout the flight.

The Army has stated the Black Hawk crew was extremely experienced, and accustomed to the congested skies around the nation ´ s capital.

At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was at the same time keeping an eye on both the helicopter and airplane traffic.

Those tasks are normally managed between 2 individuals from 10am up until 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New York Times.

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

Surveillance footage drawn from inside the airport recorded the minute the two clashed in midair

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

After 9:30 pm the duties are generally integrated and delegated someone as the airport sees less traffic later on in the night.

A supervisor supposedly chose to integrate those responsibilities before the scheduled cutoff time nevertheless, and allowed one air traffic controller to leave work early.

The FAA report said that staffing setup 'was not regular for the time of day and volume of traffic'.

Reagan National has been understaffed for lots of years, with just 19 completely licensed controllers as of September 2023 - well listed below the target of 30 - according to the most current Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress.

The situation appeared to have enhanced considering that then, 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 brand-new, with well-known causes consisting of high turnover and budget plan cuts.

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In order to fill the gaps, controllers are often asked to work 10-hour days, six days a week.

After the release of the report, former Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo considered the findings as 'uncommon'.

She said: 'This NTSB action is extremely unusual. The release of an emergency situation recommendation requesting the FAA take instant action, before the conclusion of the NTSB examination is unusual.'

The two aircraft had clashed in a huge fireball that showed up 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 chaotic scenes at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada.

Miraculously, everyone on board endured after being suspended upside-down by their seatbelts for several minutes till they tentatively began evacuating.

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

Some 21 individuals were taken to the medical facility for treatment to small injuries, and Delta has used each person a no-strings $30,000 payout in compensation.

And the aircraft carnage is continuous - on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a car park of a rural Pennsylvania retirement home.

Dramatic video showed the Beechcraft A36TC erupt in flames in the parking lot of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five people were rushed to hospital.

Medics, ambulances, and emergency cars rushed to the scene in Lancaster County as flames engulfed the aircraft and nearby cars.

The plane took off as arranged on Sunday afternoon, but quickly asked for to land back on the tarmac since its door had actually opened.

American Airlines