NTSB Hearing Faults FAA, ATC Workload and Ignored Warnings in 2025 DCA Midair Collision That Killed 67
The NTSB concluded that systemic failures across multiple organizations — including the FAA’s failure to recognize that a helicopter route lacked adequate separation from Reagan National’s secondary runway and its refusal to add detailed helicopter routes to pilots’ charts despite repeated warnings — contributed to the 2025 midair collision near D.C. that killed 67 people, with board members apologizing to victims’ families. Investigators said a local controller became overwhelmed as traffic rose to 10 then 12 aircraft (seven planes and five helicopters), degrading situational awareness, and the FAA last week made permanent a post‑crash change segregating helicopter and airplane operations around DCA.
📌 Key Facts
- The NTSB hearing concluded that systemic issues across multiple organizations — not a single individual error — caused the 2025 DCA midair collision that killed 67; Board member Todd Inman apologized to families, saying the report pages were "written in your family members’ blood."
- NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said the FAA failed to recognize that a helicopter route lacked adequate separation from Reagan National's secondary runway and repeatedly refused to add detailed helicopter routes to pilot charts despite concerns.
- Investigators testified the local controller felt "a little overwhelmed" as traffic rose to 10 then 12 aircraft (seven planes and five helicopters) in the minutes before the collision, and that the controller's workload reduced his situational awareness.
- The hearing emphasized that helicopters and airplanes had long shared the DCA airspace despite years of ignored warnings about conflict risks.
- The FAA last week made permanent a post-crash change segregating helicopter and airplane operations around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
- The NTSB hearing faulted FAA oversight, air-traffic-control workload, and ignored warnings as central factors in the crash investigation and probable-cause findings.
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- NTSB Board Member Todd Inman told families that 'systemic issues across multiple organizations,' not a single individual error, caused the crash and apologized, saying the report pages were 'written in your family members’ blood.'
- Chair Jennifer Homendy said she 'couldn't believe' the FAA failed to recognize the helicopter route’s inadequate separation from Reagan National’s secondary runway and noted the agency refused to add detailed helicopter routes to pilots’ charts despite repeated concerns.
- Investigator Katherine Wilson testified that the local controller felt 'a little overwhelmed' as traffic climbed to 10, then 12 aircraft (seven planes and five helicopters) in the minutes before the collision and that his workload reduced his situational awareness.
- The hearing highlighted that helicopter and airplane traffic had long shared that airspace despite years of ignored warnings, with the FAA only last week making permanent a post‑crash change that segregates helicopter and plane operations around DCA.