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Federal detectives have actually raised concerns of a capacity for another fatal plane crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair crash earlier this year eliminated 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board offered an update on their investigation into the cause of the disaster which took place on January 29 in Washington.

An American Airlines jetliner and a Black Hawk military helicopter clashed in midair over the Potomac River, eliminating everyone on board both airplanes.

As part of a preliminary report released on Tuesday, detectives raised concerns of more collisions involving helicopters at the airport.

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

Her issues revolve around Transport Secretary Sean Duffy moving to restrict helicopter traffic around the area, but that is set to cease at the end of the month.

When cops, medical or presidential transportation helicopters must utilize the space civilian airplanes are stopped from remaining in the very same area.

Homendy stated the NTSB is now suggesting that the FAA discover a 'permanent solution' for alternate paths for helicopters when two of the airport's runways remain in usage.

Emergency systems 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 reporters about the 29 January mid-air crash

It was also revealed on Tuesday that there was warning check in the lead up to the fatal disaster.

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

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

The NTSB also stated that there were 85 cases where 2 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 determine that we have a pattern here and an issue here, and took a look at that route; that didn't take place, which is why we're taking action today. But sadly, people lost lives, and liked ones are grieving.'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy knocked these findings at a later interview on Tuesday.

Duffy said: 'I think the concern is when this data is available in how did the FAA not understand. How did they not study the information to say "hello, this is a location, 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, perhaps there was a concentrate on something besides safety.'

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

Pictured: Parts of the wreckage seen being in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 hit an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, eliminating 67 individuals

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

The accident likely took place at an elevation simply under 300 feet, as the aircraft descended toward the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limit for that area.

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 limit helicopter traffic near DCA and for its comprehensive examination.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Those jobs are normally handled between two people from 10am up until 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New York Times.

Those jobs are typically managed in between 2 individuals from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance video 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 at the same time keeping an eye on both the helicopter and . Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen here

After 9:30 pm the tasks are generally integrated and left to someone as the airport sees less traffic later in the night.

A supervisor reportedly decided to combine those responsibilities before the set up cutoff time nevertheless, and allowed one air traffic controller to leave work early.

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

Reagan National has actually been understaffed for several years, with simply 19 fully certified controllers as of September 2023 - well listed below the target of 30 - according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress.

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

Chronic understaffing at air traffic control towers is absolutely nothing brand-new, with widely known causes including high turnover and spending 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 deemed the findings as 'unusual'.

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

The 2 aircraft had actually clashed in a huge fireball that was visible on dashcams of automobiles driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

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

Miraculously, everybody on board made it through after being suspended upside-down by their seatbelts for several minutes till they tentatively started evacuating.

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

Some 21 people were required to the medical facility for treatment to small injuries, and Delta has actually offered everyone a no-strings $30,000 payout in payment.

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

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

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

The plane took off as set up on Sunday afternoon, however quickly requested to land back on the tarmac due to the fact that its door had actually opened.

American Airlines