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Federal detectives have raised issues of a potential for another fatal airplane crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair accident previously this year eliminated 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board provided an upgrade on their investigation into the reason for the catastrophe which happened on January 29 in Washington.

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

As part of a preliminary report released on Tuesday, investigators raised issues of more collisions including helicopters at the airport.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said: 'We stay worried about the considerable potential for future mid-air accident at DCA.'

Her issues focus on Transport Secretary Sean Duffy transferring to limit helicopter traffic around the location, however that is set to cease at the end of the month.

When cops, medical or governmental transport helicopters need to use the area civilian planes are stopped from being in the very same area.

Homendy stated the NTSB is now suggesting that the FAA find a 'permanent solution' for detours for helicopters when two of the airport's runways remain in usage.

Emergency units respond after a guest 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 talks to reporters about the 29 January mid-air accident

It was likewise exposed on Tuesday that there was warning check in the lead up to the lethal disaster.

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

It was revealed that 15,214 'near-miss events' of planes getting informs about helicopters remaining in close distance between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB also stated that there were 85 cases where 2 aircraft where laterally split by less than 1,500 feet, and a vertical separation of less than 200 feet.

Homendy added: 'That information from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) could have used that information at any time to figure out that we have a pattern here and a problem here, and took a look at that path; that didn't happen, which is why we're doing something about it today. But sadly, people lost lives, and loved ones are grieving.'

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

Duffy said: 'I think the concern is when this data can be found in how did the FAA not know. How did they not study the data to say "hello, this is a hot area, we are having near misses out on and if we don't change our methods we are gon na lose lives".'

He added: 'That wasn't done, possibly there was a focus on something other than safety.'

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

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

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

The accident most likely occurred at an elevation just under 300 feet, as the airplane descended toward the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limitation for that location.

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

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

The helicopter pilots may have also missed out on part of another communication, when the tower stated the jet was turning towards a various runway, Homendy said last month.

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

Investigators think the crew was using night vision goggles throughout the flight.

The Army has stated the Black Hawk crew was highly experienced, and accustomed to the congested skies around the country ´ s capital.

At the time of the crash, a single air traffic controller was simultaneously monitoring both the helicopter and airplane traffic.

Those jobs are normally dealt with in between 2 people from 10am till 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New york city Times.

Those jobs are typically dealt with in between 2 individuals from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance footage taken from inside the airport captured the moment the 2 clashed in midair

At the time of the accident, a single air traffic controller was simultaneously monitoring both the helicopter and airplane traffic. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen here

After 9:30 pm the tasks are generally combined and left to a single person as the airport sees less traffic later on in the night.

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

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

Reagan National has actually been understaffed for numerous years, with simply 19 fully licensed controllers since September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most current Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress.

The scenario appeared to have enhanced because 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 service towers is absolutely nothing brand-new, with widely known causes consisting of high turnover and budget cuts.

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

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

She stated: 'This NTSB action is highly unusual. The release of an emergency situation recommendation asking for the FAA take immediate action, before the conclusion of the NTSB investigation is unusual.'

The two aircraft had actually clashed in a huge fireball that was noticeable on dashcams of cars driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

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

Miraculously, everyone on board made it through after being suspended upside-down by their seat belts for a number of minutes up until they tentatively began leaving.

The plane had been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport with 76 guests and four team members on board.

Some 21 people were required to the health center for treatment to small injuries, and Delta has provided everyone a no-strings $30,000 payout in settlement.

And the aircraft carnage is continuous - on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a parking lot of a suburban Pennsylvania retirement community.

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 situation automobiles rushed to the scene in Lancaster County as flames swallowed up the airplane and neighboring vehicles.

The aircraft took off as set up on Sunday afternoon, however quickly asked for to land back on the tarmac due to the fact that its door had actually opened.

American Airlines