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Federal detectives have raised issues of a potential for another lethal airplane crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair collision previously this year killed 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board provided an update 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 collided in midair over the Potomac River, eliminating everyone on board both aircrafts.

As part of an initial report launched on Tuesday, investigators raised issues of more accidents involving helicopters at the airport.

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

Her issues revolve around Transport Secretary Sean Duffy relocating to restrict helicopter traffic around the location, but that is set to cease at the end of the month.

When cops, medical or presidential transportation helicopters must utilize the area civilian planes are stopped from remaining in the same location.

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

Emergency units react after a traveler airplane collided with 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 speaks to press reporters about the 29 January mid-air crash

It was also revealed on Tuesday that there was alerting check in the lead up to the lethal disaster.

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

It was uncovered that 15,214 'near-miss occasions' of airplanes getting signals about helicopters being in close distance in between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB likewise stated that there were 85 cases where 2 aircraft where laterally divided by less than 1,500 feet, and a of less than 200 feet.

Homendy added: 'That data from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) might have used that details any time to figure out that we have a trend here and a problem here, and looked at that path; that didn't occur, which is why we're doing something about it today. But unfortunately, people lost lives, and enjoyed ones are grieving.'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy knocked these findings at a later interview on Tuesday.

Duffy stated: 'I think the question is when this data is available in how did the FAA not know. How did they not study the data to state "hi, this is a location, we are having near misses and if we do not alter our methods we are gon na lose lives".'

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

Duffy would later on included 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 being in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 hit an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 individuals

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Investigators believe that the helicopter associated with the crash may have had unreliable altitude readings in the minutes before the crash.

The collision likely occurred at an elevation just under 300 feet, as the aircraft descended towards the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limit for that place.

On Tuesday American Airlines invited the report by the NTSB, saying: 'We're grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board's immediate security suggestions to restrict helicopter traffic near DCA and for its thorough investigation.

'We will continue to collaborate carefully with PSA Airlines as it complies as an investigative celebration member.'

The helicopter pilots might have likewise missed out on part of another communication, when the tower said the jet was turning toward a various 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 using night vision safety glasses, Homendy stated.

Investigators believe the team was wearing night vision goggles throughout the flight.

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

At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was simultaneously keeping an eye on both the helicopter and plane traffic.

Those tasks are normally managed in between 2 people from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New York Times.

Those jobs are normally managed in between 2 individuals from 10am till 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance video taken from inside the airport recorded the moment the 2 collided in midair

At the time of the crash, a single air traffic controller was concurrently keeping track of both the helicopter and aircraft traffic. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen here

After 9:30 pm the responsibilities are usually combined and left to someone as the airport sees less traffic later on in the night.

A manager supposedly decided to integrate those duties before the arranged cutoff time however, and allowed one air traffic controller to leave work early.

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

Reagan National has actually been understaffed for lots of years, with simply 19 totally licensed controllers as of September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan sent to Congress.

The situation appeared to have actually improved ever since, 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 towers is absolutely nothing brand-new, with popular causes including high turnover and spending plan cuts.

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In order to fill the gaps, controllers are often asked to work 10-hour days, six days a week.

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

She stated: 'This NTSB action is highly uncommon. The release of an emergency situation suggestion asking for the FAA take instant action, before the conclusion of the NTSB examination is rare.'

The two airplane had collided in a big fireball that showed up on dashcams of cars and trucks driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

Less than a month later on, 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 survived after being suspended upside-down by their seat belts for several minutes till they tentatively began evacuating.

The airplane had actually been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport with 76 passengers and 4 team members on board.

Some 21 people were required to the hospital for treatment to small injuries, and Delta has actually offered each individual a no-strings $30,000 payment in compensation.

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

Dramatic video showed the Beechcraft A36TC appear in flames in the parking area of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five individuals were rushed to health center.

Medics, ambulances, and emergency cars hurried to the scene in Lancaster County as flames swallowed up the plane and close-by automobiles.

The airplane took off as set up on Sunday afternoon, but rapidly requested to land back on the tarmac because its door had opened.

American Airlines