Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images News / Getty Images
The U.S. government acknowledged responsibility Wednesday (December 18) for a deadly midair collision over the Potomac River earlier this year, according to a court filing responding to a lawsuit from victims’ families.
The January 29 crash involved American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter as the passenger jet was approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. All 67 people aboard the two aircraft were killed, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in more than 20 years.
In its filing, the government stated that it failed to meet its duty of care and that this failure directly contributed to the collision. The response cites violations of visual separation procedures by an air traffic controller and a lack of sufficient vigilance by the helicopter pilots in maintaining visual awareness of the jet.
While acknowledging fault, the government stopped short of accepting full responsibility, arguing that additional parties — including the airline and flight crew — may have also contributed. American Airlines and its regional partner PSA Airlines have denied wrongdoing and filed motions seeking dismissal from the case.
At least 28 victims were recovered from the icy Potomac following the crash. The jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, while three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.
The court filing allows families to pursue financial damages and comes amid growing scrutiny of airspace safety around Reagan National Airport, long criticized by pilots for its dense mix of commercial and military traffic and challenging visual conditions at night.
On the same day as the filing, the United States Senate passed aviation safety legislation prompted by the crash. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine said the bill strengthens coordination between the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense, mandates safety reviews at high-traffic airports, and accelerates deployment of collision-avoidance technology.
Families of the victims say accountability is only part of their goal. Doug Lane, who lost his wife and son in the crash, said the pursuit of safer skies is central to their healing, emphasizing that lessons learned must translate into lasting reforms.
The lawsuit at the center of the filing was brought by Rachel Crafton whose husband was killed in the crash. Her attorneys argue that repeated near-misses in the area went unaddressed despite years of warnings. The government acknowledged it was aware of prior close calls involving military helicopters and civilian aircraft in the same airspace.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to release its final report next year. Preliminary findings have already identified multiple contributing factors, including altitude deviations by the helicopter, heavy reliance on visual separation, and known congestion risks around the airport.
Aviation experts say the government’s partial admission, made less than a year after the crash, is rare and signals confidence that evidence supports failures by both air traffic control and military aviation operations.
SOURCE: NBC Washington