Black Hawk crew may not have heard message to ‘pass behind’ DC-bound plane before midair crash: NTSB

The tragic midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 29 has left 67 people dead, with no survivors. The incident occurred during an Army “flight check,” a routine training exercise, and has raised significant questions about communication, altitude monitoring, and the crew’s awareness leading up to the crash. Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have revealed that critical radio transmissions from air traffic control may have been missed by the Black Hawk crew, potentially contributing to the fatal accident.

During a press conference, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy highlighted that less than 20 seconds before the collision, air traffic control instructed the Black Hawk to “pass behind” the passenger plane, a CRJ aircraft. However, this crucial transmission appears to have been interrupted or not fully received by the helicopter’s crew. The interruption occurred when the Black Hawk’s crew was simultaneously transmitting their own communication, overlapping the air traffic control message. As a result, the crew may not have heard the full instruction, which could have been key to avoiding the collision. This raises concerns about the timing and coordination of communications in high-stakes aviation environments.

Another critical issue under investigation is the Black Hawk’s altitude at the time of the crash. Data indicates that the helicopter was flying at a radio altitude of 278 feet, which was higher than expected for its position near the airport. However, the barometric altimeters in the cockpit may have shown a different reading, creating conflicting information for the crew. Homendy emphasized that the NTSB is reviewing the possibility of “bad data” from the flight data recorder (FDR) and whether the crew’s instruments were providing accurate or misleading information. This discrepancy could have played a significant role in the crew’s inability to recognize the danger and adjust their course accordingly.

The NTSB is also examining the performance of the Black Hawk’s automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) system, which is designed to help pilots avoid traffic conflicts by estimating separation distances between aircraft. However, officials revealed that the ADS-B system was not transmitting data during the flight, raising questions about whether it was malfunctioning, improperly programmed, or intentionally turned off. This failure would have deprived the crew of a critical tool for maintaining situational awareness and avoiding collisions, especially in busy airspace near a major airport.

Visibility has also emerged as a potential factor in the crash. The Black Hawk crew was likely using night-vision goggles throughout the flight, which can enhance visibility in dark conditions but may also limit peripheral vision and the ability to detect nearby aircraft. Homendy noted that the NTSB is conducting a visibility study to determine what the crew could have seen in the moments leading up to the collision. Recorder data shows no audible reaction from the crew before the crash, suggesting they were unaware of the impending danger. This lack of awareness underscores the importance of reliable communication, accurate instrumentation, and effective visibility aids in preventing such tragedies.

As the investigation continues, the NTSB is working to piece together the sequence of events and identify the root causes of the collision. While the agency has flagged several potential contributing factors—Including communication lapses, altitude discrepancies, ADS-B malfunctions, and visibility limitations—it will take time to determine how these elements interacted and whether any singled out as the primary cause. The findings of this investigation will not only shed light on the circumstances surrounding this tragedy but also inform safety improvements to prevent similar incidents in the future. For now, the focus remains on supporting the families of the victims and ensuring that the lessons learned from this crash are used to enhance aviation safety for all.