Federal private investigators have actually raised issues of a capacity for another deadly plane crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair accident earlier this year killed 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board provided an update on their examination into the reason for the catastrophe which happened on January 29 in Washington.

An American Airlines jetliner and a Black Hawk military helicopter clashed in midair over the Potomac River, killing everybody on board both aircrafts.

As part of an initial report launched on Tuesday, investigators raised concerns of more crashes involving helicopters at the airport.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy stated: 'We remain worried about the substantial capacity for future mid-air accident at DCA.'

Her issues revolve around Transport Secretary Sean Duffy relocating to restrict helicopter traffic around the location, however that is set to stop at the end of the month.

When cops, medical or governmental transportation helicopters must use the space civilian planes are stopped from remaining in the exact same area.

Homendy stated the NTSB is now advising that the FAA discover a 'permanent solution' for detours for helicopters when two of the airport's runways remain in usage.

Emergency systems respond after a passenger airplane clashed with a helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia

Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) Jennifer Homendy speaks with reporters about the 29 January mid-air collision

It was likewise revealed on Tuesday that there was warning indications in the lead up to the deadly catastrophe.

Those probing the crash went through 944,179 operations in between October 2021 and December 2024.

It was discovered that 15,214 'near-miss occasions' of aircrafts getting signals about helicopters being in close proximity in between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB likewise said that there were 85 cases where two airplane where laterally divided by less than 1,500 feet, and a vertical separation of less than 200 feet.

Homendy added: 'That data from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) could have used that information any time to determine that we have a trend here and an issue here, and took a look at that path; that didn't occur, which is why we're doing something about it today. But unfortunately, individuals lost lives, and liked ones are grieving.'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy knocked these findings at a later interview on Tuesday.

Duffy stated: 'I think the question is when this information comes in how did the FAA not understand. How did they not study the information to state "hello, this is a location, we are having near misses and if we do not alter our methods we are gon na lose lives".'

He included: 'That wasn't done, possibly there was a focus on something besides security.'

Duffy would later added when questioned by a about the near misses out on that the information had 'p *** ed him off'.

Pictured: Parts of the wreckage seen sitting in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 clashed with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 individuals

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Investigators think that the helicopter associated with the crash might have had incorrect elevation readings in the minutes before the crash.

The accident likely happened at an elevation simply under 300 feet, as the airplane descended toward the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limitation for that place.

On Tuesday American Airlines invited the report by the NTSB, stating: 'We're grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board's immediate safety recommendations to limit helicopter traffic near DCA and for its comprehensive investigation.

'We will continue to collaborate carefully with PSA Airlines as it complies as an investigative celebration member.'

The helicopter pilots may have likewise missed part of another interaction, when the tower said the jet was turning toward a different runway, Homendy stated last month.

The helicopter was on a 'check' flight that night where the pilot was undergoing an annual test and a test on using night vision goggles, Homendy stated.

Investigators think the team was using night vision goggles throughout the flight.

The Army has said the Black Hawk crew was highly experienced, and accustomed to the congested skies around the nation ´ s capital.

At the time of the accident, a single air traffic controller was concurrently monitoring both the helicopter and airplane traffic.

Those tasks are normally managed in between two people from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New york city Times.

Those jobs are typically dealt with in between 2 people from 10am up until 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance footage drawn from inside the airport captured the moment the two clashed in midair

At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was at the same time keeping track of both the helicopter and plane traffic. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen here

After 9:30 pm the responsibilities are normally integrated and left to a single person as the airport sees less traffic later in the night.

A manager supposedly decided to combine those duties before the scheduled cutoff time however, and permitted one air traffic controller to leave work early.

The FAA report stated that staffing setup 'was not typical for the time of day and volume of traffic'.

Reagan National has been understaffed for several years, with simply 19 totally licensed controllers as of September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most current Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan submitted to Congress.

The scenario appeared to have improved ever since, as a source informed CNN the Reagan National control tower was 85 percent staffed with 24 of 28 positions filled.

Chronic understaffing at air traffic control towers is nothing brand-new, with well-known causes including high turnover and spending plan cuts.

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In order to fill the gaps, controllers are often asked to work 10-hour days, 6 days a week.

After the release of the report, previous Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo considered the findings as 'unusual'.

She said: 'This NTSB action is highly unusual. The release of an emergency recommendation asking for the FAA take instant action, before the conclusion of the NTSB investigation is uncommon.'

The 2 airplane had actually clashed in a huge fireball that was visible on dashcams of cars driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

Less than a month later on, on February 17, a Delta passenger airplane crashed-landed upside down in chaotic scenes at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada.

Miraculously, everyone on board survived after being suspended upside-down by their seat belts for a number of minutes until they tentatively began evacuating.

The aircraft had actually been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport with 76 passengers and four crew members on board.

Some 21 individuals were required to the medical facility for treatment to small injuries, and Delta has offered everyone a no-strings $30,000 payout in compensation.

And the plane carnage is continuous - on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a parking area of a suburban Pennsylvania retirement home.

Dramatic footage showed the Beechcraft A36TC appear in flames in the parking area of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five people were rushed to health center.

Medics, ambulances, and emergency lorries hurried to the scene in Lancaster County as flames engulfed the plane and neighboring cars.

The plane took off as set up on Sunday afternoon, but rapidly asked for to land back on the tarmac because its door had opened.

American Airlines