NTSB Cites Multiple Factors Behind Washington Midair Collision

Agency’s final report expected within two weeks.

Meg Godlewski

Wednesday, January 28, 2026 at 01:15 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Zach Vasile

A Black Hawk helicopter over Washington. [Credit: Nicholas Priest/U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

The deadly midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) was attributed to several factors, including a helicopter route too close to the runway approach, errors in Black Hawk altimeters, and high air traffic controller (ATC) workloads.
The NTSB investigation highlighted critical ATC failures, such as a lack of timely safety alerts and traffic advisories to both aircraft, which investigators stated could have increased situational awareness and potentially averted the collision.
Systemic issues identified included congested airspace, challenges with visual identification in the metropolitan environment, and the absence of ADS-B In technology on the commercial jet, which could have provided earlier collision warnings.
Following the accident, the FAA implemented immediate safety measures, including restricting helicopter traffic, removing the problematic Route 4, reducing the airport's hourly arrival rate, and increasing ATC staffing at KDCA.

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The placement of a helicopter route in close proximity to the runway approach path at a busy commercial airport, a lack of warning to U.S. Army aviators about errors in the barometric altimeters in Black Hawk helicopters, and air traffic controller (ATC) workloads were all mentioned this week as probable causes behind the deadly midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) in 2025.

On Tuesday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) heard hours of testimony regarding the collision between an Army helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342.