Investigators looking into the tragic midair collision between a US Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet over Washington, D.C., on January 29 have found indications that the helicopter’s altimeter may have provided inaccurate readings and that the pilots may not have heard some communications from the Reagan National Airport control tower.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy revealed on February 14 that a recording from the helicopter’s cockpit suggests the crew may not have heard the command to pass behind the airliner, a directive that could have prevented the deadly accident.
The collision, which occurred on January 29, claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard both aircraft. Investigators said the accident took place in just seconds.
The Black Hawk and the commercial jet likely met at an altitude of approximately 325 feet before the helicopter plunged into the Potomac River.
According to Homendy, air traffic controllers at Ronald Reagan National Airport issued a crucial directive 17 seconds before impact, instructing the Black Hawk to maneuver behind the American Airlines jet.
However, while the transmission was captured on the cockpit voice recorders of both aircraft, the helicopter’s crew may not have fully heard it.
Homendy explained that at the exact moment of the instruction, the Black Hawk’s microphone key was depressed for 0.8 seconds. This brief interference may have prevented the crew from hearing the critical words, “pass behind the,” which could have changed the course of events.
Moreover, NTSB investigators noted discrepancies in the helicopter crew’s altitude readings shortly before the crash. The helicopter’s pilot stated they were at 300 feet, but the instructor pilot claimed it was 400 feet, according to Homendy.
Homendy stated, “We are looking at the possibility of there may be bad data.”
The model of Black Hawk involved in the accident is typically equipped with two types of altimeters. One uses barometric pressure, and another relies on radio signals bouncing off the ground.
Although helicopter pilots primarily use barometric readings for navigation, the aircraft’s black box recorded a radio altitude of 278 feet at the time of impact.
“But I want to caution, that does not mean that’s what the Black Hawk crew was seeing on the barometric altimeters in the cockpit,” Homendy added.
However, speaking to EurAsian Times, Defense analyst Patricia Marins argued that the Black Hawk was moving toward the plane, making it highly unlikely that the warning was ignored, especially since visual contact was likely maintained.
Marins suggested that the incident could have been caused by a distraction, a sudden medical emergency, or an unknown factor beyond current understanding. With the black box now recovered, she noted that it could soon provide critical insights into what truly happened.
Deadliest US Aviation Disaster In Decades
The mid-air collision between a US Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet over the nation’s capital has been labeled as the deadliest aviation accident in the US since 2001.
That year, a commercial jet crashed into a New York City neighborhood shortly after takeoff, killing all 260 passengers and crew, along with five people on the ground.
As investigators work to piece together the events leading up to the January 29 disaster, new details are emerging about the helicopter crew and their mission that night.
According to Army officials, the Black Hawk was operated by an experienced team familiar with navigating the congested airspace around Washington, D.C.
The crew had been conducting a routine check flight, during which the pilot was being evaluated on flying by instruments and using night vision goggles. Officials believe the crew wore the goggles throughout the flight.
The Army has identified the three service members who perished in the crash: Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach of North Carolina, Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Georgia, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Maryland. Eaves and Lobach were the pilots, while O’Hara served as the crew chief.
In the weeks following the collision, investigators have recovered all major components of both the Black Hawk and the passenger jet. A preliminary report is expected by the end of the month, but a full National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) analysis could take more than a year to complete.
“We’re only a couple weeks out from the crash,” she said. “We have a lot of work to do.”
Among the primary areas of focus are the cockpit voice and flight data recorders, which are currently being analyzed at NTSB laboratories. Investigators are also examining the wreckage to determine the precise angle of impact and gain insight into the moments leading up to the crash.
A crucial piece of evidence, the Black Hawk’s combined cockpit voice recorder and digital flight data recorder, was recovered on January 31 and had no exterior damage.
Investigators are now scrutinizing the helicopter’s pitot-static system and air data computer to determine what altitude readings the pilots were seeing at the time.
According to NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division Branch Chief Sean Payne, further analysis will assess the functionality of the altimeters and whether inaccurate data may have influenced the helicopter’s flight systems. Understanding how “bad data” may have played a role in the tragedy will be a key part of the investigation.
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