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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) survey results show that the Army helicopter that collided with a commercial aircraft in Washington, D.C. in January had an incorrect altitude reading, which caused the aircraft to be too close.
NTSB begins on the first day of a hearing in Washington on Wednesday, discussing the January 29 crash American Airlines planes Blackhawk helicopters from Wichita and Ronald Reagan National Airport in Kansas killed 67 people.
Air traffic controllers reportedly warned that helicopter traffic was dangerous near the airport in the years before the crash, but concerns about the Black Hawk helicopter routes have not been resolved. The Federal Aviation Administration has allegedly not made a road change or warn pilots, although 85 missed close distances at the airport in the past three years.
“It’s so bureaucratic,” NTSB chairman Jennifer Homendy said at the hearing.
NTSB launches 3-day investigation hearing on deadly DC plane crash
The NTSB began its first day of a hearing in Washington Wednesday, and investigators pointed to several factors that led to the crash. (AP)
Representatives from the Army and FAA tried to blame the air traffic controllers and lack of separation between aircraft landings At the airport The helicopter flew on the approved route, but later suggested that the route should not ensure separation.
The Army did admit that the Blackhawk altimeter could be over 100 feet, then added that their pilots were designed to keep the altitude within the limit of 100 feet.
Bob Clifford, an attorney representing several families of victims, said there were a lot of “accusations” and “not accepting responsibility and accountability” at the hearing.
Although the final report will not be released until next year, Wednesday’s hearing revealed a small margin of error in the helicopter, which flew the route Blackhawk took that night.
Investigators said Wednesday that the flight data recorder showed the helicopter was 80 to 100 feet higher than the air pressure altimeter that pilots rely on. The NTSB tested three other helicopters of the same unit during flights in the same area and found similar differences in their altimeters.
The bigger concern is that there are some FAA-approved routes around the airport, which are as high as 75 feet apart when the plane lands on a certain runway.
“We’re less than 500 feet apart, which is a fact of concern for me,” said at the hearing.
Rosengren said that if he was King’s Day, he would immediately retire all the Black Hawk models, such as those in the crash, and replace them with newer versions.
The January incident was a series of crashes and nearly erroneous incidents this year that attracted attention between officials and travelers. (AP)
According to the NTSB’s history of flight performance research, within two minutes before the crash, an air traffic controller directed airport traffic and helicopters in the area, including communicating with several aircraft at several different frequencies.
Air traffic controllers have communicated with aircraft that are taking off, Air Force helicopters, aircraft on the ground, medical helicopters and aircraft that are not involved in the crash.
“All aircraft can hear the controller, but helicopters can only hear the frequency of other helicopters, while the aircraft can only hear other aircraft,” the report said. “This has led to many step-by-step transmissions because helicopters and aircraft don’t know when to communicate.”
Interventional transmission refers to unheard or blocked due to other transmissions. The NTSB report includes a list of 29 separate communications between the airport tower and other aircraft within two minutes before the crash.
The previously disclosed air traffic control audio played the helicopter pilot, telling the air traffic controller twice that they had noticed the plane and avoided it.
Officials were also worried about using night vision goggles on helicopters as a factor in the crash because goggles restricted the field of view.
The investigation has previously shown that the FAA failed to recognize 85 near-culprits around the airport three years before the collision, and that Army helicopters usually fly around Washington, with one of the key positioning equipment, called ADS-B, being shut down.
Officials say that even if they are turned on, the ADS-B systems on most of the ADS-B helicopters will not work properly with most of the helicopters on the crashed helicopters because they are not installed correctly. When the NTSB learned of the problem, the army issued an alert about the problem and worked hard to quickly reprogram the units to make sure they worked.
“Every sign has a safety risk, the tower tells you,” Homdi said, but after the incident, the FAA moved the manager out of the tower instead of admitting they had been warned.
Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Legislation has been introduced All aircraft operators were asked to use two forms of ADS-B on Tuesday, a technology that broadcasts aircraft position data to other aircraft and air traffic controllers. Today, most aircraft are equipped with ADS-B OUT equipment, but airlines need to add a more comprehensive ADS-B to their aircraft.
Representatives from the Army and FAA tried to deflect responsibility during the hearing. (AP)
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The bill would revoke exemptions for ADS-B transmission requests for Department of Defense aircraft.
Hogney said her agent has recommended doing so for decades after several other crashes.
Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said he wanted to discuss “some adjustments” but the bill was “the right way.” He also said the Biden administration “slept on the wheel” among dozens of nearly-person figures in Washington.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
