The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) hearings held this week have provided alarming insights into the tragic midair collision on January 29 involving an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, resulting in the deaths of all 67 individuals on board both aircraft, marking it as one of the deadliest aviation disasters in the United States in decades.
The Black Hawk helicopter team, operating a training mission near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, was found to have a possibly faulty altimeter, leading them to miscalculate their altitude. This was compounded by their flight being reported at an altitude of 278 feet even though regulations dictated they should not be flying above 200 feet in that area.
Jennifer Homendy, the NTSB Chairwoman, expressed concern that the pilots may have misjudged their actual altitude due to possible inaccuracies in their barometric altimeter. During the hearings, it was revealed that inaccuracies of this nature are not uncommon within the military.
U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Kylene Lewis confirmed that a variance of around 80 feet between a radar altitude reading and a barometric reading would typically not raise alarms among pilots. Radar altimeters calculate distance to the ground based on signals, while barometric altimeters derive altitude from air pressure variations.
NTSB member J. Todd Inman raised serious concerns regarding the reliability of barometric altimeters and their implications for safety, particularly since military helicopters operate near civilian aviation. Inman emphasized the need for zero tolerance on altitude discrepancies, but military officials defended their equipment, stating that it met existing safety tolerances.
In light of the incident, Army representatives are now seriously considering amendments to their flight manuals to better inform pilots regarding potential discrepancies in altitude readings.
Moreover, the hearings also revealed pressure faced by air traffic controllers at DCA to ensure operational efficiency in a high-volume air traffic environment. According to former DCA tower operations manager Clark Allen, controllers often felt the need to ‘make it work,’ which sometimes involved utilizing additional runways for incoming flights.
This pressure raised concerns regarding the potential compromise of safety. FAA officials acknowledged a national shortage of air traffic controllers, though Nick Fuller, the FAA’s acting deputy chief operating officer, noted that staffing at DCA was consistent with comparable facilities.
Typically, controllers at DCA have divided responsibilities, with one managing helicopter traffic and another overseeing fixed-wing aircraft. However, on the night of the crash, it was stated that one controller was tasked with both duties, a scenario described as commonplace yet precarious.
Leading up to the crash, FAA staff had expressed concerns regarding the proximity of the Army helicopter route to commercial aircraft pathways at the airport. Allen pointed out that proposals had been made to either modify or completely eliminate Route 4, which is heavily utilized in the area for military training missions. However, these suggestions were dismissed due to security and governmental continuity requirements.
During the hearings, Homendy criticized the FAA for failing to address internal safety concerns raised by its personnel. Her scathing remarks demanded accountability, highlighting the stark reality that 67 lives were lost: ‘Are you kidding me? Sixty-seven people are dead! How do you explain that? Our bureaucratic process?’
As a result of these findings, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy issued new regulations in March restricting nonessential helicopter operations around DCA and eliminating mixed operations between helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, aligning with previous recommendations made by the NTSB.
These hearings have underscored the critical need for improved safety protocols in both military and civilian aviation to prevent such tragedies in the future.
image source from：npr
