Washington Plane Collision: Helicopter crew missed key instructions due to 'stepped on' transmission, says NTSB

Washington Plane Collison: The Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided midair with an American Airlines jet near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Jan 29 may have had faulty altitude readings and missed key air traffic control instructions moments before impact, investigators revealed Friday (Feb 14).

Interrupted transmission

As per National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy, the recording from the black hawk has revealed that a "stepped on" transmission left the crew unable to understand how to shift positions just before the crash.

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Here 'stepped on' means two communications overlapped, blocking part of the message.

On January 29, 2025, the collision between the two aircraft killed all 67 people aboard.

"That transmission was interrupted -– it was stepped on," Homendy explained, leaving the helicopter crew unable to hear the command to "pass behind the" jet. This, she said, happened because the helicopter’s microphone key was pressed at the same moment.

Investigators are also examining discrepancies in the helicopter’s altitude readings, potential miscommunication between the pilots, and whether night vision goggles affected their situational awareness.

The final report could take over a year to complete, and Homendy cautioned against premature conclusions. "We’re only a couple weeks out," she said, adding "We have a lot of work to do."

What went wrong?

The Black Hawk was conducting a routine exercise to certify one of its pilots when it collided with the passenger jet. Investigators believe both pilots were wearing night vision goggles throughout the mission.

At the time of impact, the helicopter was reportedly flying above its 200 feet (60.96 m) altitude limit for that airspace. However, conflicting cockpit conversation from minutes before the crash suggests discrepancies—one pilot called out 300 feet (91.44 m), while the instructor pilot reported 400 feet (121.92 m), said Homendy. The radio altitude of the aircraft puts it at an altitude of 278 feet (84.73 m).

Homendy confirmed investigators are looking into "the possibility there may be bad data." The Black Hawk was equipped with both barometric and radio altimeters, and it remains unclear what readings the crew relied upon.

Additionally, aviation experts suggest the pilots may have fixated on a different plane. "If they did indeed lock onto that departing airplane and assume that’s the traffic they were supposed to be avoiding, they didn’t see the other airplane coming," said aviation safety professor William Waldock.

Meanwhile, the American Airlines jet—on approach from Wichita, Kansas—made a sudden sharp climb just before impact. Experts believe this was a "last-ditch attempt to escape" the crash.

(With inputs from agencies)