NTSB Update Confirms Black Hawk Helicopter Made Crucial Error Before Plane Crash
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) provided an update on Tuesday regarding last week’s collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane in Washington, D.C., confirming that the helicopter was flying above the designated altitude limit at the time of impact.
According to the agency’s findings, air traffic control data placed the Black Hawk at an altitude of 300 feet.
This measurement exceeds the 200-foot ceiling for helicopters operating within the National Capital Region, as reported by Fox News.
The findings support previous evaluations of the crash, including one from President Donald Trump, who noted on Truth Social that the “helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot limit.”
However, several critical questions remain unanswered, such as what led to the altitude discrepancy. Was it a mechanical failure, pilot error, or another underlying factor?
The NTSB has also retrieved multiple components of the Bombardier CRJ700, the American Airlines aircraft involved, from the Potomac River.
Among the recovered parts are the “right wing, center fuselage, part of the left wing and left fuselage, significant portions of the forward cabin and cockpit, vertical and horizontal stabilizers, tail cone, rudder, elevators, TCAS computer and quick access recorder.”
Agency officials stated that “the recovered wreckage will be moved to a secure location for a wreckage layout examination.”
As for the Army Black Hawk, investigators still require “additional information” to validate critical data points.
“To obtain this information, the Black Hawk needs to be recovered from the water, which is expected to take place later this week,” the NTSB noted.
Meanwhile, NTSB personnel are in the process of transcribing cockpit voice recordings from both aircraft, and “synchronization work for the Black Hawk flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder is ongoing.”
The devastating January 29 crash over the Potomac River claimed 67 lives, including the three Army soldiers aboard the Black Hawk.
As of Tuesday, all 67 bodies had been recovered from the river, according to Fox News.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy expressed concerns in a Sunday interview with Fox News regarding the “antiquated” technology still in use by the Federal Aviation Administration, while also noting a “plummet” in the number of new air traffic control recruits.
Nevertheless, Duffy assured the public that the U.S. air travel system remains highly secure.
“We have the safest skies in the whole world. Traveling by air is the safest mode of transportation,” he said.
“It’s not just air traffic controllers, but we do have technologies on airplanes to keep them separated,” he added. “So, yeah, no, this is the safest system.”
Duffy also raised concerns over diversity-focused hiring practices within air traffic control recruitment, arguing that priority should be placed on selecting the most competent individuals.
“You can’t focus on diversity, equity and inclusion when you try to hire air traffic controllers. You focus on the best and brightest,” Duffy emphasized.
“I mean, again, some people like me like to have this conversation around equity. But if it’s your pilots or if it’s your air traffic controllers, you want the best. You want the brightest protecting yourself and your family. That’s what we’re going to do with the department.”