NTSB Issues Recommendations After Fatal D.C. Collision

Investigators push for adoption and use of ADS-B Out and In.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 at 11:30 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

The air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA). [Shutterstock/TJ Brown]

Key Takeaways:

The NTSB's final report on a fatal January 2025 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport primarily recommends the installation and use of ADS-B In (in addition to ADS-B Out) on aircraft to enhance pilot situational awareness.
The probable causes cited include the FAA's unsafe placement of helicopter routes near approach paths, failure to review these routes, and overreliance on visual separation, alongside the U.S. Army's failure to ensure pilots were aware of altimeter error tolerances leading to exceeding altitude limits.
The report also makes extensive recommendations for the FAA, military, and air traffic control (ATC), including enhanced controller training on workload management and threat assessment, improved airborne collision avoidance systems, and a review of helicopter route structures for better traffic deconfliction and data sharing.

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The installation and use of ADS-B In aboard aircraft in addition to the use of ADS-B Out tops the list of recommendations made by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in its final report on the midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) in January 2025.

The use of ADS-B Out and ADS-B In can give pilots better situational awareness as they can “see” where other traffic is, provided that traffic is also using ADS-B Out and In.