NTSB calls 3-day hearing into American Eagle and Black Hawk deadly mid-air crash
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has called a three-day investigative hearing to look into the events surrounding a deadly mid-air crash between a PSA Airlines operated American Eagle flight and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter.
64 people onboard the American Eagle Bombardier CRJ700 and three crew members inside the helicopter were killed on January 29, 2025, when the collision occurred over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
The NTSB confirmed that the investigative hearing will be held from July 30 to August 1, 2025, with several witnesses expected to give evidence.
The hearing will be held at the NTSB boardroom in Washington where it will also be livestreamed. Only NTSB board members, investigators, witnesses, and parties to the hearing are allowed to actively participate.
“The NTSB conducts investigative hearings to assist in obtaining information necessary to determine the facts and circumstances of transportation accidents or incidents under investigation,” the NTSB said in a statement on June 10, 2025.
On February 14, 2025, NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said that 17 seconds before impact a message from ATC directing the Black Hawk crew to pass behind the PSA Airlines CRJ700 was audible on both aircraft’s Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR).
However, CVR data from the helicopter indicated that the portion of the transmission that stated “pass behind the” may not have been received by the Black Hawk crew.
The NTSB has also previously said that the radio altitude of the Black Hawk at the time of collision was 278 feet – higher than the 200 feet limit for that area.
Another area of contention likely to be discussed at the hearing is that the Black Hawk helicopter did not have Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) operating when it collided with a passenger plane.
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The post NTSB calls 3-day hearing into American Eagle and Black Hawk deadly mid-air crash appeared first on AeroTime.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has called a three-day investigative hearing to look into the events surrounding…
The post NTSB calls 3-day hearing into American Eagle and Black Hawk deadly mid-air crash appeared first on AeroTime.
