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US probe to determine cause of 2025 DC air collision
New York, Jan 27 (AFP) Jan 27, 2026
US safety officials are expected to determine a probable cause on Tuesday of the crash between a military helicopter and a passenger jet a year ago near a Washington-area airport.

Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board convened a hearing on the January 29, 2025 collision between a Sikorsky Black Hawk chopper and a Bombardier plane flown by an affiliate of American Airlines that killed 67 people.

NTSB board members will vote on a probable cause and recommendations, with a final report expected in the coming weeks.

The investigative agency had released earlier "urgent" recommendations with restrictions on military helicopters near Ronald Reagan National Airport when certain runways are in use.

The body also organized a three-day hearing over the summer that revealed a significant discrepancy between the altitude displayed in the aircraft and its actual height.

In the Potomac River area where the collision occurred, helicopters are required to stay below 61 meters (200 feet). But the helicopter was at an elevation of 85 meters (278 feet) at the time of the collision.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said Tuesday a military helicopter's altitude readings could have a margin of error of as much as 30 meters (100 feet). But pilots were not aware of this discrepancy at the time of the accident.

Military manuals have been updated with this guideline, an Army official told Tuesday's hearing.

The US government admitted in December it was liable for the accident, according to a Department of Justice filing in a civl lawsuit against the US government and the commercial airline operating the plane.


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