Army calls for safety fixes after finding systemic failures behind DC midair collision

The U.S. Army released a report showing that multiple safety failures caused a deadly midair collision near Washington, D.C. last year. An American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into each other and fell into the Potomac River, killing all 67 people on board. The Army finished the report in May but only made it public after months of pressure from the victims' families. The report found problems with air traffic control, helicopter flight paths, pilot training, and overall safety practices.

The crash happened when the Black Hawk helicopter hit the airliner as the plane was coming in to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Both aircraft fell into the cold Potomac River, making it the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil in more than 20 years. The Army's report said the air traffic controller could have done more to prevent the crash. However, the report also admitted that the military itself had made serious mistakes that contributed to the disaster.

Some family members said the report does not go far enough in answering their questions. Tim Lilley, a former Army Black Hawk pilot whose son was the airliner's co-pilot, said parts of the report were blacked out and that blame was spread too broadly. He said the Army owes families a full explanation of how these dangers were allowed to exist for so long. The Army responded by saying it understands the families' need for answers and is committed to being open about its review.

The report pointed to several specific problems that led to the crash. The air traffic controller did not give the helicopter crew precise enough details about the nearby jet and did not warn the jet's pilot about the helicopter. The military pilots were wearing night-vision goggles, which limited their field of view and made it hard to spot the plane against the bright city lights. Two radio messages that could have helped the helicopter crew identify the jet were also never received properly.

The flight path used by the helicopter was also found to be poorly designed. It allowed only 75 feet of space between the helicopter and a landing plane, which is very little room for error. The helicopter's altitude instruments were also shown to be off; investigators found the helicopter was flying nearly 100 feet higher than its instruments showed. These problems together meant there was far less safe distance between the two aircraft than anyone realized.

The Army's report recommended that officials check military helicopter flights in other big cities, like Los Angeles and the Seattle-Tacoma area, for similar dangers. The NTSB said it is pleased with the Army's progress on seven of its eight safety recommendations. By comparison, the FAA has failed to act on about one-third of the safety recommendations made to it. The Army said it has already improved helicopter crew training and inspected more than 3,500 helicopters.

Families of the crash victims are now pushing Congress to pass a law requiring all aircraft to use technology that can detect nearby planes or helicopters. The Families of Flight 5342 group said both major investigations are complete and both clearly show that this technology is needed. The U.S. House and Senate have each passed their own aviation safety bills, but lawmakers have not yet agreed on a final version. The families say Congress has no more reasons to wait.