Investigators Examine the January Crash, Which Claimed 67 Lives

Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are gearing up for a three-day public hearing that aims to help narrow down the probable cause of a January mid-air collision. The accident, which involved a regional jet and a US Army helicopter, left 67 people dead.

The crash in question occurred at around 9:00 pm on January 29 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). Footage shows that a US Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with the side of an American Eagle Bombardier CRJ700 that was attempting to land. Both aircraft exploded and plummeted into the Potomac River off the approach end of Runway 33, leaving no survivors. 67 fatalities were counted: three from the Black Hawk, as well as 60 passengers and 4 crew from the jet.

The event rattled national air travel, with the public immediately questioning the safety of aviation and casting shade on air traffic control, helicopter operations, and see-and-avoid regulations. The army has since placed restrictions on its flights in the vicinity of DCA.

While blame has been placed on various stakeholders, the NTSB is taking its time to get details ironed out. It is hosting a three-day investigative hearing in order to “determine the facts, circumstances, and probable cause of a transportation event and to make recommendations to improve transportation safety,” the agency described.

Investigative hearings allow invited witnesses to give their sworn testimonies, which will then be added to the investigation’s public record. As the meeting is purely fact-finding, NTSB Members do not share their thoughts on the statements or publish a report on the hearing.

There are several circumstances that will likely garner extra attention during the hearing. A major question is just how high the Black Hawk was flying to end up in the approach path of an airliner - and why. Though it has been fairly routine for the Army’s helicopters to fly this path, they usually stay closer to around 200 feet, while the Black Hawk involved was reported to be closer to 400. There have also been discrepancies regarding which equipment was operative on the helicopter, with signs pointing to missed transmissions and ADS-B errors.

The hearing will be held July 30 and 31, from 9 am to 7 pm, as well as August 1, from 9 am to 2 pm ET, in the NTSB Boardroom and Conference Center. It will be available for in-person or online viewing through a livestream.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov