US admits responsibility for deadly Washington air collision

• US government admitted legal responsibility for the January midair collision in Washington, citing negligence by military pilots and air traffic controllers.
• The crash killed 67 people after a military Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet collided near Reagan National Airport and fell into the Potomac River.
• Investigators found operational failures, including pilot vigilance lapses, air traffic control violations, altitude-reading discrepancies, and communication difficulties.

The US government has formally acknowledged responsibility for a fatal midair collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter over Washington in January, citing negligence by military pilots and air traffic controllers, according to a court document released on Wednesday.

The 209-page filing was submitted by the US Attorney General as part of a civil lawsuit brought by the family of one of the victims. The document, reviewed by Agence France-Presse, states that “the United States admits it had a duty to protect the plaintiffs, a duty it failed to fulfill, which ultimately caused this tragic accident.”

Details of the Crash

The collision occurred on 29 January near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing all 67 people on board both aircraft. The crash involved a Sikorsky Black Hawk military helicopter on a training mission and a Bombardier CRJ-700 passenger jet operated by a subsidiary of American Airlines.

Both aircraft plunged into the icy waters of the Potomac River following the collision.

Worst US Air Disaster in Decades

The incident marks the deadliest aviation disaster in the United States since November 2001, when a passenger plane crashed shortly after takeoff in New York.

In the court documents, the government acknowledged that the risk of a “midair collision cannot be completely eliminated” in the congested airspace around Reagan National Airport, which lies in the heart of the US capital and is frequently used by military helicopters.

Failures by Pilots and Air Traffic Control

The filing admitted that military pilots failed to “maintain vigilance to see and avoid other aircraft,” contributing directly to the crash. It also pointed to violations of established procedures by air traffic controllers operating in the area.

Preliminary Investigation Findings

Initial findings by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed discrepancies in altitude readings from the helicopter’s instruments, as well as communication difficulties between the military helicopter, air traffic controllers, and the civilian aircraft.

Investigations into the crash remain ongoing as families of the victims continue to seek accountability and damages through the courts.