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Federal investigators have actually raised concerns of a capacity for another lethal airplane crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair crash earlier this year killed 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board offered an upgrade on their investigation into the reason for the disaster which occurred on January 29 in Washington.

An American Airlines jetliner and a Black Hawk military helicopter clashed in midair over the Potomac River, eliminating everyone on board both aircrafts.

As part of an initial report released on Tuesday, investigators raised concerns of more collisions including helicopters at the airport.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said: 'We stay concerned about the substantial capacity for future mid-air collision at DCA.'

Her concerns revolve around Transport Secretary Sean Duffy moving to restrict helicopter traffic around the location, however that is set to stop at the end of the month.

When cops, medical or governmental transport helicopters should utilize the area civilian planes are stopped from being in the same area.

Homendy said the NTSB is now recommending that the FAA discover a 'permanent option' for detours for helicopters when 2 of the airport's runways are in use.

Emergency units respond after a traveler airplane hit a helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia

Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) Jennifer Homendy talks to press reporters about the 29 January mid-air accident

It was likewise revealed on Tuesday that there was cautioning indications in the lead up to the deadly catastrophe.

Those penetrating the crash went through 944,179 operations in between October 2021 and December 2024.

It was discovered that 15,214 'near-miss occasions' of aircrafts getting notifies about helicopters being in close proximity in between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB also said that there were 85 cases where 2 airplane where laterally split by less than 1,500 feet, and a vertical separation of less than 200 feet.

Homendy included: 'That information from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) could have utilized that info at any time to determine that we have a trend here and an issue here, and looked at that route; that didn't take place, which is why we're acting today. But unfortunately, people lost lives, and enjoyed ones are grieving.'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed these findings at a later press conference on Tuesday.

Duffy stated: 'I think the question is when this information can be found in how did the FAA not know. How did they not study the data to state "hello, this is a location, we are having near misses out on and if we do not alter our ways we are gon na lose lives".'

He added: 'That wasn't done, possibly there was a focus on something aside from security.'

Duffy would later added when questioned by a reporter about the near misses out on that the information had 'p *** ed him off'.

Pictured: Parts of the wreckage seen sitting in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 hit an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, eliminating 67 people

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Investigators think that the helicopter associated with the crash might have had inaccurate altitude readings in the minutes before the crash.

The accident likely happened at an elevation just under 300 feet, as the aircraft descended toward the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limit for that location.

On Tuesday American Airlines welcomed the report by the NTSB, saying: 'We're grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board's immediate safety recommendations to restrict helicopter traffic near DCA and for its extensive examination.

'We will continue to collaborate carefully with PSA Airlines as it works together as an investigative party member.'

The helicopter pilots may have also missed out on part of another communication, when the tower stated the jet was turning towards a different runway, Homendy stated last month.

The helicopter was on a 'check' flight that night where the pilot was going through an annual test and a test on utilizing night vision safety glasses, Homendy stated.

Investigators think the team was using night vision safety glasses throughout the flight.

The Army has said the Black Hawk team was extremely experienced, and accustomed to the crowded skies around the nation ´ s capital.

At the time of the accident, a single air traffic controller was at the same time keeping track of both the helicopter and airplane traffic.

Those jobs are usually dealt with between two individuals from 10am till 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New york city Times.

Those jobs are normally handled in between 2 people from 10am up until 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance video taken from inside the airport captured the minute the two collided in midair

At the time of the crash, a traffic controller was simultaneously monitoring both the helicopter and airplane traffic. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen here

After 9:30 pm the duties are typically combined and delegated one person as the airport sees less traffic later in the night.

A manager reportedly decided to integrate those duties before the scheduled cutoff time nevertheless, and permitted one air traffic controller to leave work early.

The FAA report said that staffing configuration 'was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic'.

Reagan National has been understaffed for numerous years, with simply 19 fully accredited controllers as of September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most current Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan sent to Congress.

The scenario appeared to have actually enhanced given that then, as a source informed CNN the Reagan National control tower was 85 percent staffed with 24 of 28 positions filled.

Chronic understaffing at air traffic control service towers is nothing new, with popular causes including high turnover and budget cuts.

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In order to fill the spaces, controllers are frequently asked to work 10-hour days, 6 days a week.

After the release of the report, former Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo considered the findings as 'uncommon'.

She said: 'This NTSB action is highly uncommon. The release of an emergency recommendation requesting the FAA take instant action, before the conclusion of the NTSB investigation is unusual.'

The 2 airplane had actually clashed in a substantial fireball that was visible on dashcams of automobiles driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

Less than a month later, on February 17, a Delta guest airplane crashed-landed upside down in disorderly scenes at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada.

Miraculously, everybody on board made it through after being suspended upside-down by their seat belts for several minutes up until they tentatively started evacuating.

The aircraft had actually been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport with 76 travelers and 4 crew members on board.

Some 21 individuals were required to the medical facility for treatment to minor injuries, and Delta has actually offered each person a no-strings $30,000 payment in settlement.

And the airplane carnage is continuous - on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a parking area of a rural Pennsylvania retirement community.

Dramatic footage revealed the Beechcraft A36TC appear in flames in the parking lot of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five individuals were hurried to medical facility.

Medics, ambulances, and emergency vehicles rushed to the scene in Lancaster County as flames engulfed the airplane and neighboring vehicles.

The aircraft took off as scheduled on Sunday afternoon, but rapidly requested to land back on the tarmac because its door had actually opened.

American Airlines