Deadly Midair Collision Near DC Followed Years of Ignored Warnings

NTSB says FAA, Army failed to address known risks that led to crash killing 67 people

Jan. 28, 2026 at 7:07pm

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National Transportation Safety Board members expressed deep frustration over years of ignored warnings about dangerous helicopter traffic and other problems around Washington, D.C.'s Reagan National Airport, which they say were key factors in a deadly midair collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people a year ago. The NTSB adopted a long list of recommendations aimed at improving airport safety, staffing, and oversight at the FAA and Army to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Why it matters

The midair collision near Washington, D.C. was the deadliest plane crash in the U.S. since 2001, raising urgent questions about aviation safety and oversight failures that allowed known risks to persist for years despite repeated warnings. The NTSB investigation found systemic problems across multiple organizations, underscoring the need for sweeping reforms to improve coordination, training, and safety culture within the FAA and military.

The details

Investigators said a helicopter route in the approach path of a Reagan National Airport runway created a dangerous airspace, and that air traffic controllers overly relied on asking helicopter pilots to visually avoid other aircraft. The FAA had denied a request in 2023 to reduce air traffic at Reagan and failed to relocate the helicopter route or warn pilots more after a near-miss in 2013. NTSB investigators also found the Army and FAA weren't sharing all safety data, and that Army helicopter pilots often weren't aware of near-misses around the airport.

  • The deadly midair collision occurred a year ago.
  • In 2023, a regional FAA supervisor requested to reduce air traffic at Reagan National Airport, but the request was denied.
  • In 2013, there was an eerily similar near-miss incident around Reagan National Airport that went unaddressed.

The players

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

The independent federal agency responsible for investigating transportation accidents and issuing safety recommendations.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)

The agency of the United States Department of Transportation responsible for the regulation and oversight of civil aviation.

U.S. Army

The land-based armed service branch of the United States Armed Forces.

Jennifer Homendy

Chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Mary Schiavo

Former Department of Transportation Inspector General.

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What they’re saying

“We should be angry. This was 100% preventable. We've issued recommendations in the past that were applicable to use. We have talked about seeing and avoid for well over five decades. It's shameful. I don't want to be here years from now looking at other families that had to suffer such devastating loss.”

— Jennifer Homendy, NTSB Chairwoman (wbtw.com)

“The negligence of not fixing things that needed to be fixed killed my brother and 66 other people.”

— Kristen Miller-Zahn (wbtw.com)

“It was just a shocking dereliction of duty by the FAA. And they have so much work to be done to fix it. And just from my background, I don't know if the people there are up to it.”

— Mary Schiavo, Former Department of Transportation Inspector General (wbtw.com)

What’s next

Senators who introduced a bill to require aircraft to have advanced locator systems are planning a hearing in the next few months to further examine the NTSB's final report and recommendations.

The takeaway

This tragic crash highlights systemic failures and a culture of complacency within the FAA and military when it comes to aviation safety. Meaningful reforms are needed to improve coordination, training, data sharing, and a true commitment to proactively addressing known risks before they lead to devastating loss of life.