Josh Funk, Associated Press Transport Writer
On Friday, the National Road Safety Commission will enter the three and final days of public testimony regarding a fatal air collision between an Army helicopter and a commercial jet in January.
Testimony over the previous two days highlighted many factors that likely contributed to the collision with all 67 people on both aircraft, sparking the chairman of Jennifer Homendi, urging the Federal Aviation Administration to “do better.”
The major issues that have emerged so far include warning years of FAA officials about the dangers associated with Black Hawk helicopters that have surpassed levels prescribed near Ronald Reagan National Airport and heavy chopper traffic there.
It is too early for the board to pinpoint exactly what caused the crash. The final report from the board will not arrive until next year.
However, it became clear this week how small the helicopter mistakes are flying along the route the Black Hawk ran on the night of the country’s most deadly plane crashing since November 2001.
The January crash was the first of a series of crashes and near misses this year, and despite the statistics still showing flights still the safest mode of transportation, it is still wary of authorities and the public on the trip.
I’m worried about military helicopters
The board focused on air traffic control and heard on Thursday it was common for pilots to seek the use of visual separation or rely on vision.
FAA officials also said the controllers rely heavily on pilots using visual separation as a way to manage complex airspace using so many helicopters flying around Washington, DC
However, Medevac operator Metro Airlines official Rick Dressler said it would be difficult to identify other aircraft in the night sky around Ronald Reagan National Airport, especially as Army Choppers have done on a daily basis.
Dressler said he and other civilian helicopter pilots in the area have long been concerned about Army and Air Force helicopters flying around Reagan Airport.
“I don’t like to say this, I’ll say it again on the record,” said Dressler, a former Army aviator and retired air officer. “I’m talking there for the group. We’re all very uncomfortable when these two units are working.”
The Department of Defense introduced the Army to questions about Thursday’s testimony, but did not immediately answer. Army officials at the hearing asked Dressler to elaborate on his concerns and consider visiting the pentagon to share them.
Dressel said that part of his concern was the lack of relative experience of military pilots who may have only been in the area for a short time and did not understand the complex airspace around Washington, DC.
“They don’t really understand the seasonings here and how the airspace works,” Drestel said.
The Air Force also did not immediately answer questions about Dressler’s comments.
The American Airlines jet arrives from Wichita, Kansas, carrying, among other things, a group of elite young figure skaters, parents and coaches, and four Union Steam Fitters from the Washington area.
The final moment
The testimony covered many grounds, including final audio communications from pilots aboard the Army Chopper.
The Black Hawk crew was in communication with the airport’s control tower, but the helicopter pilots had not fully listened to the controller’s instructions.
The Black Hawk pilot said that American Airlines airliners were in sight twice in the tower just minutes before the crash, maintaining proper separation. However, when the controller instructed the pilot to “pass behind” the jet, the crew didn’t listen to the instructions as the Black Hawk’s microphone key was pressed at that moment.
Just before the collision, an instructor pilot on a helicopter asked the pilot in control to come to the left. However, it was not clear whether the pilot had time to pilot the helicopter before the crash.
“He’s leaving for me for a moment,” the instructor said.
The pilot replied, “That’s true.”
Concerns about distance between planes and helicopters
John Cox, an aviation safety expert and retired airline pilot, said the hearing was heading in the right direction to determine what happened and prevent similar accidents.
His main concerns focus on the Black Hawk helicopter, including why it exceeded the 200-foot (61 meters) elevation limit for that particular helicopter route. Another issue is why Black Hawks didn’t approach the eastern bank of the Potomac River. There, they would have been far from the plane’s landing.
“I have passed helicopters many times under the eastern shore of Potomac,” said Cox, who flew commercial passenger planes for 25 years. “And there was always a lot of separation. That’s not a lot because the space is so constrained. But you’re dealing with professional pilots and that didn’t matter.”
Investigators said Wednesday’s flight data recorder showed that helicopters were actually 80 feet to 100 feet (24-30 meters) higher than the barometric altimeters on which the pilot relies.
Associated Press writers David Klepper, Mike Katarini, Leah Asklenam, Ben Finley and Rio Yamato contributed to the story.
Original issue: August 1, 2025, 7:43am EDT
