Government admits failures in deadly January midair collision near DC airport

The federal government admitted Wednesday in a court filing that the pilots of an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a controller in the Reagan National Airport tower made errors that resulted in the tragic and deadly midair collision in January.

The fatal collision, which killed all 67 people on the American Airlines flight and Army helicopter, occurred Jan. 29 near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The incident has prompted heavy criticism of U.S. Air Traffic Control.

The Justice Department's admission was made in response to a civil lawsuit brought earlier this year by the family of a passenger killed on American Eagle flight 5342.

“The United States admits that it owed a duty of care to Plaintiffs, which it breached,” the department said in a 209-page court filing. 

It also said the pilots on the helicopter failed to "maintain proper and safe visual separation" from the passenger plane, and that an air traffic controller in a nearby tower failed to comply with an FAA order governing air traffic control procedure.

“The United States is admitting the Army and FAA’s responsibility for the needless loss in the crash of an Army helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 at Reagan National Airport," attorney Robert Clifford said in a statement reported by CNN. "However, the government rightfully acknowledges that it is not the only entity responsible for this deadly crash."

The government also argued that although the air traffic controller failed to comply with the order, they were not responsible for the crash and should not be held liable for the incident. 

A federal investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board is still ongoing, and the final probable cause report is not expected to be released until January at the earliest.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.