Federal investigators have raised concerns of a capacity for another deadly airplane crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair collision previously this year killed 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board provided an update on their examination into the cause of the catastrophe which occurred on January 29 in Washington.

An American Airlines jetliner and a Black Hawk military helicopter clashed in midair over the Potomac River, killing everybody on board both aircrafts.

As part of an initial report released on Tuesday, private investigators raised issues of more collisions involving helicopters at the airport.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy stated: 'We remain worried about the considerable capacity for future mid-air crash at DCA.'

Her issues revolve around Transport Secretary Sean Duffy relocating to limit helicopter traffic around the location, but that is set to stop at the end of the month.

When authorities, medical or governmental transport helicopters must use the area civilian aircrafts are stopped from being in the same area.

Homendy said the NTSB is now suggesting that the FAA find a 'permanent option' for detours for helicopters when 2 of the airport's runways remain in use.

Emergency systems respond 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 likewise revealed on Tuesday that there was alerting check in the lead up to the lethal disaster.

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

It was uncovered that 15,214 'near-miss occasions' of airplanes getting informs about helicopters being in close proximity in between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB also said that there were 85 cases where two airplane where laterally divided by less than 1,500 feet, and a vertical separation of less than 200 feet.

Homendy included: 'That data from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) could have used that info whenever to determine that we have a trend here and a problem here, and looked at that route; that didn't occur, which is why we're acting today. But regrettably, individuals lost lives, and enjoyed ones are grieving.'

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

Duffy stated: 'I think the concern is when this data comes in how did the FAA not understand. How did they not study the information to state "hi, this is a hot area, we are having near misses and if we don't change our methods we are gon na lose lives".'

He included: 'That wasn't done, possibly there was a focus on something aside from safety.'

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

Pictured: Parts of the wreckage seen being in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 people

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Investigators believe that the helicopter associated with the crash may have had inaccurate elevation readings in the minutes before the crash.

The collision likely occurred at an altitude just under 300 feet, as the aircraft came down toward the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limit for that place.

On Tuesday American Airlines welcomed the report by the NTSB, saying: 'We're grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board's urgent safety recommendations to limit helicopter traffic near DCA and for its thorough investigation.

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

The helicopter pilots may have likewise missed out on part of another interaction, when the tower stated the jet was turning towards a different runway, Homendy stated last month.

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

Investigators believe the crew was wearing night vision goggles throughout the flight.

The Army has stated the Black Hawk team was extremely experienced, and accustomed to the crowded skies around the country ´ s capital.

At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was at the same time keeping track of both the helicopter and airplane traffic.

Those jobs are typically dealt with between two people from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New york city Times.

Those jobs are typically dealt with in between two individuals from 10am up until 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance video drawn from inside the airport recorded the moment the two collided in midair

At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was simultaneously keeping an eye on both the helicopter and aircraft traffic. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen here

After 9:30 pm the responsibilities are usually integrated and left to a single person as the airport sees less traffic later on in the night.

A manager reportedly decided to integrate those tasks before the set up cutoff time nevertheless, and allowed one air traffic controller to leave work early.

The FAA report said that staffing configuration 'was not typical for the time of day and volume of traffic'.

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

The circumstance appeared to have actually improved since then, as a source informed 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 new, with well-known causes consisting of high turnover and budget cuts.

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In order to fill the spaces, controllers are regularly asked to work 10-hour days, 6 days a week.

After the release of the report, former Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo considered the findings as 'unusual'.

She said: 'This NTSB action is highly uncommon. The release of an emergency recommendation asking for the FAA take immediate action, before the completion of the NTSB examination is uncommon.'

The 2 airplane had collided in a substantial fireball that was noticeable on dashcams of automobiles driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

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

Miraculously, everybody on board survived after being suspended upside-down by their seatbelts for numerous minutes up until they tentatively started evacuating.

The airplane had been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport with 76 travelers and 4 crew members on board.

Some 21 people were taken to the medical facility for treatment to minor injuries, and Delta has offered each individual a no-strings $30,000 payment in settlement.

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

Dramatic video showed the Beechcraft A36TC emerge in flames in the parking area of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five individuals were hurried to healthcare facility.

Medics, ambulances, and emergency automobiles rushed to the scene in Lancaster County as flames swallowed up the plane and nearby cars.

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

American Airlines