Senator Ted Cruz claims Washington midair collision could have been avoided with ADS-B
Senator Ted Cruz asserts that the tragic Washington midair collision might have been prevented with ADS-B technology, had it not been disabled during the incident.
The devastating midair collision in Washington DC, that claimed 67 lives last week could have been avoided, claimed Senator Ted Cruz in an interview on Thursday (Feb 6).
On Jan 29, a US military's Black Hawk helicopter, crashed into an American Airlines jet as it was making its final descent at Reagan National Airport.
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Revelations made during closed door meeting
As per the New York Times, after a closed-door briefing with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), Cruz, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, highlighted concerns over the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology which he said was disabled. The Black Hawk was on a training mission when the crash happened.
What is ADS-B?
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ADS-B is regarded as a superior safety tool, and it provides real-time data on an aircraft's position, altitude, and speed, offering air traffic controllers critical situational awareness. Unlike radar, which has a delay, ADS-B ensures faster, more accurate tracking, acting as an essential safety net in busy airspace.
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While military aircraft are allowed to deactivate ADS-B for high-security "continuity of government" missions, Cruz noted that the Black Hawk's flight on January 29 did not qualify as such. "In this instance, this was a training mission, so there was no compelling national security reason for ADS-B to be turned off," Cruz stated.
The Army has so far declined to comment on Cruz's allegations. Colonel Roger Cabiness, an Army spokesperson, said, "We're going to let the investigation play out and not get ahead of the N.T.S.B. findings".
What happened on Jan 29?
The Black Hawk was conducting a routine exercise to certify one of its pilots when it collided with the passenger jet. Cruz confirmed that while the helicopter was equipped with a transponder, ADS-B would have provided superior data and possibly prevented the crash.
Efforts to recover the wreckage from the Potomac River are ongoing, with NTSB investigators racing to extract critical evidence. Senators involved in the briefing withheld detailed comments, stating that more clarity is needed before drawing conclusions.
Cruz has also called on the FAA to review and reduce helicopter routes passing through commercial airspace, citing the need to assess safety protocols on high-traffic flight paths.
Meanwhile, the FAA has reduced hourly flight operations at Reagan National Airport, with one runway still closed due to the ongoing investigation.
(With inputs from agencies)
