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

The National Transportation Safety Board offered an upgrade on their examination into the cause of the disaster which happened on January 29 in Washington.

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

As part of an initial report launched on Tuesday, detectives raised issues of more collisions including helicopters at the airport.

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

Her concerns focus on Transport Secretary Sean Duffy transferring to restrict helicopter traffic around the location, but that is set to stop at the end of the month.

When authorities, medical or governmental transport helicopters should utilize the space civilian aircrafts are stopped from being in the exact same location.

Homendy stated the NTSB is now suggesting that the FAA discover a 'long-term solution' for detours for helicopters when two of the airport's runways are in use.

Emergency systems react after a guest aircraft 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 talks to reporters about the 29 January mid-air collision

It was likewise revealed on Tuesday that there was warning check in the lead up to the deadly disaster.

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

It was revealed that 15,214 'near-miss occasions' of aircrafts getting signals about helicopters remaining in close distance 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 added: 'That information from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) could have used that details whenever to determine that we have a pattern here and an issue here, and took a look at that path; that didn't happen, which is why we're doing something about it today. But unfortunately, individuals lost lives, and enjoyed ones are grieving.'

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

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

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

Duffy would later 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, eliminating 67 people

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Investigators believe that the helicopter included in the crash might have had unreliable elevation readings in the minutes before the crash.

The accident most likely occurred at an altitude simply under 300 feet, as the aircraft came down toward the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limit for that area.

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 comprehensive examination.

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

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

The helicopter was on a 'check' flight that night where the pilot was undergoing a yearly test and a test on utilizing night vision goggles, Homendy said.

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

The Army has said the Black Hawk team was highly experienced, and accustomed to the congested skies around the country ´ s capital.

At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was all at once monitoring both the helicopter and plane traffic.

Those tasks are generally handled in between two individuals from 10am till 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New York Times.

Those tasks are normally dealt with between two people from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance video footage taken from inside the airport recorded the minute the 2 clashed in midair

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

After 9:30 pm the tasks are usually combined and left to a single person as the airport sees less traffic later in the night.

A supervisor apparently decided to integrate those responsibilities before the arranged cutoff time nevertheless, and enabled one air traffic controller to leave work early.

The FAA report stated that staffing setup 'was not regular for the time of day and volume of traffic'.

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

The scenario 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 service towers is absolutely nothing new, with popular causes including high turnover and budget plan cuts.

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

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

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

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

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

Miraculously, everyone on board endured after being suspended upside-down by their seat belts for a number of minutes till they tentatively started leaving.

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

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

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

Dramatic footage the Beechcraft A36TC emerge in flames in the parking lot of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five people were rushed to health center.

Medics, ambulances, and emergency cars rushed to the scene in Lancaster County as flames engulfed the plane and close-by cars.

The airplane took off as arranged on Sunday afternoon, but quickly asked for to land back on the tarmac due to the fact that its door had actually opened.

American Airlines