Unpublished Army Report on Deadly Helicopter-Jet Crash Frustrates Victims’ Families Who Got Copy Early

A new Army report on a January 2025 crash where a Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet, killing 67 people, has angered victims’ families due to its redactions and perceived lack of accountability. The report identified long-standing issues like inaccurate altimeter readings on older Black Hawk models and insufficient training regarding D.C.’s crowded airspace, but did not specify any punishments. Families are calling for an independent audit and the implementation of collision-avoidance technology.

• An Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines jet in January 2025, resulting in 67 fatalities.
• Victims’ families are frustrated by a new Army report that appears to let leaders off the hook and contains significant redactions.
• The report cited issues such as known flaws in altimeters that gave inaccurate altitude readings on older Black Hawk models.
• The Army also failed to collect data on close calls or provide training on flying in D.C.’s crowded airspace.
• At the time of the crash, military helicopters and civilian jets were observed as close as 75 feet apart, with the helicopter’s altimeter inaccurate by 140 feet.
• The Army report suggested the helicopter crew might have been using night-vision goggles, potentially hindering their ability to discern the airliner’s lights from ground lights and distorting distances.
• Families are demanding safety reforms, including collision-avoidance technology, and have called for an independent audit by the Army Inspector General.
• The report noted that the helicopter’s altimeter indicated it was 200 feet above the Potomac when it was actually 278 feet in the air.