NTSB: FAA failures caused preventable mid-air crash near Washington, $400 device could have saved 67 lives

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has concluded that the deadly mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., in January 2025, which killed 67 people, was 100% preventable and caused by systemic failures within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The crash involved an American Airlines CRJ-700 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA).

The NTSB sharply criticised the FAA for allowing helicopter routes to operate within 75 feet of commercial aircraft approach paths, failing to act on longstanding safety warnings, and relying excessively on visual separation in congested airspace. Investigators also highlighted controller overload, noting that a single controller was handling both helicopter and aircraft traffic for hours, reducing situational awareness.

Crucially, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said a $400 GPS-based system (ADS-B In)—repeatedly recommended by the NTSB since 2006 but not mandated by the FAA—could have alerted both crews up to a minute before impact, potentially preventing the collision. The Army has since installed the system.

Additional contributing factors included faulty helicopter altimeters, inadequate conflict alerts, and the controller’s failure to issue a formal safety alert despite clear warning signs. The NTSB issued dozens of new safety recommendations, primarily targeting the FAA, and called for a comprehensive review of the agency’s safety culture. While the FAA said it will consider the findings, the NTSB warned that hundreds of past recommendations remain unimplemented.