The United States government has formally admitted that negligence by federal agencies was a key factor in a catastrophic mid-air collision near Washington DC earlier this year, which resulted in the deaths of 67 people.
Admission of Liability in Court Filing
In an official response to a lawsuit filed by the family of one victim, the US Department of Justice conceded on Wednesday that failures by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the US Army played a direct role in causing the disaster. The filing states the government is liable because an air traffic controller violated procedures on the night of the crash and because Army helicopter pilots failed in their duty to "see and avoid" the approaching airliner.
The tragic incident occurred in January when a Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet operated by PSA Airlines. The jet was on its final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in northern Virginia, just across the Potomac River from the US capital. The helicopter was reportedly flying on a route that passed beneath aircraft landing on the airport's secondary runway.
Investigative Findings and Contributing Factors
While the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) final report is not due until early next year, preliminary investigations have highlighted several critical failures. It was revealed that the helicopter was flying 78 feet higher than the 200-foot altitude limit for its prescribed route. This drastically reduced the already minimal separation from landing aircraft.
Furthermore, the NTSB noted that the FAA had failed to recognise persistent dangers around the busy airport, despite 85 recorded near-misses in the three years preceding the fatal crash. During investigative hearings, FAA officials acknowledged that controllers at Reagan airport had become "overly reliant" on a procedure called visual separation, where pilots use their own eyes to maintain distance. This practice has since been discontinued.
Robert Clifford, an attorney representing the family of victim Casey Crafton, said the admission acknowledges "the Army’s responsibility for the needless loss of life" and the FAA's procedural failures, while also noting the potential involvement of other parties.
Ongoing Legal Proceedings and Human Toll
The government's legal filing, while accepting its share of blame, suggested that the pilots of the jet and the airlines involved may also bear some responsibility. American Airlines and PSA Airlines, which are named in the lawsuit, have filed motions to dismiss the case against them. An American Airlines spokesman declined to comment on the latest filing but stated the airline's focus remains on supporting the victims' families.
The crash claimed the lives of all on board both aircraft: 60 passengers and four crew members on the jet, and three soldiers in the helicopter. The victims included a group of elite young figure skaters, their parents, and coaches returning from a competition in Kansas, as well as four union steamfitters from the Washington area. Recovery teams pulled at least 28 bodies from the icy Potomac River in the immediate aftermath.
As the legal process unfolds, the families of those lost "remain deeply saddened and anchored in the grief caused by this tragic loss of life," Clifford said. The US government's admission marks a significant step in the pursuit of accountability for the deadliest aviation disaster on American soil in over two decades.
