In a stark admission that reverberated through Washington’s corridors, the U.S. government acknowledged Wednesday that the actions of an air-traffic controller and an Army helicopter pilot contributed to the January collision that killed 67 people near the capital.
## Government Admission
Following the first lawsuit filed by a victim’s family, officials stated that the government is liable partly because the controller violated visual-separation procedures that night. The filing also held the Army pilot’s “failure to maintain vigilance so as to see and avoid” the jet responsible for the crash. While the lawsuit suggested other parties, including the jet pilots and the airlines, might also have played a role, the government denied any negligence on the part of FAA or Army officials.
## Lawsuit Details
The lawsuit blamed American Airlines and its regional partner PSA Airlines for their roles, but the airlines have filed motions to dismiss. The filing also accused the carriers of not doing enough to mitigate risks of flying close to helicopters around Washington, D.C., and of insufficient pilot training. In response, American Airlines declined to comment on the filing and argued that plaintiffs’ proper legal recourse is against the United States government, not the airline.
## Aircraft and Casualties
At least 28 bodies were recovered from the icy Potomac River after the Black Hawk collided with the American Airlines regional jet while it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport in northern Virginia, just across the river from Washington, D.C. The jet carried 60 passengers and four crew members; three soldiers were aboard the helicopter. The crash remains the deadliest on American soil in more than two decades.
## Attorney Commentary
Robert Clifford, representing the family of victim Casey Crafton, said the government admitted “the Army’s responsibility for the needless loss of life” and the FAA’s failure to follow air-traffic-control procedures, while “rightfully” acknowledging the contributions of American Airlines and PSA Airlines. He added that the families “remain deeply saddened and anchored in the grief caused by this tragic loss of life.”
## Investigative Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board will release its full report early next year, but investigators have already highlighted several factors. The helicopter was flying 78 feet higher (24 meters) than the 200-foot (61-meter) limit on a route that offered only scant separation between planes landing on Reagan’s secondary runway and helicopters passing below. The NTSB also noted that the FAA failed to recognize the dangers around the busy airport even after 85 near-misses in the three years preceding the crash.
## Witness Accounts and Altimeter Issue
Before the collision, the controller twice asked the helicopter pilots whether they had the jet in sight; the pilots confirmed and requested visual-separation approval to use their own eyes to maintain distance. FAA officials later acknowledged at NTSB hearings that controllers at Reagan had become overly reliant on visual separation-a practice that has since ended. Witnesses raised serious questions about whether the helicopter crew could spot the plane while wearing night-vision goggles and whether the pilots were even looking in the right spot. Investigators also found that the barometric altimeter the crew relied on was reading 80 to 100 feet (24 to 30 meters) lower than the altitude registered by the flight data recorder, possibly masking the helicopter’s true height.
## Expert Opinion
Retired pilot Richard J. Levy, an aviation litigation expert witness, remarked that the government’s admission of some responsibility less than a year after the crash is unusual, especially given the potential financial stakes. “They would not have done that if there was a doubt in their mind about anything the controller did or that the Army did,” Levy said.
## Key Takeaways
– The U.S. government admits liability for the 67-death collision involving an airliner and a Black Hawk.
– The lawsuit blames both the FAA and Army pilots, while airlines argue the case should target the government.
– Investigations reveal the helicopter exceeded height limits and that visual-separation procedures were inadequately applied.
With the NTSB report slated for next year, the legal and investigative processes continue to unfold, offering a clearer picture of the chain of events that led to one of the most tragic aviation incidents in recent U.S. history.
