New details have emerged about the tragic midair collision near Reagan National Airport (DCA) earlier this year, revealing that the female pilot of a Blackhawk helicopter allegedly ignored repeated warnings from her male co-pilot to alter course before striking a passenger jet.
The collision, which occurred in late January, involved an American Airlines flight carrying approximately 64 passengers and crew. All 64 people aboard the jet were killed, along with the three pilots aboard the Blackhawk helicopter.
According to a preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), staffing levels at the DCA Air Traffic Control tower were described as “not normal” at the time of the fatal incident. NBC News reports that only one controller was managing both helicopter and airplane traffic simultaneously — a departure from standard procedure, which typically assigns separate controllers to monitor helicopter movements.
Webcam footage from the Kennedy Center captured the catastrophic moment when the Blackhawk helicopter flew directly into the American Airlines plane, leading to an explosive crash.
The FAA investigation into the crash remains ongoing. Officials are examining not only the actions of the pilots but also possible systemic failures in air traffic control operations at the time of the accident.
The deadly collision has raised renewed concerns over aviation safety protocols and staffing standards at one of the nation’s busiest airports.
