NTSB Releases Preliminary Report on Deadly Mid Air Collision Near Reagan, Issues Urgent Safety Recommendations
The investigation has identified critical safety issues, including inadequate separation between helicopter and airplane operations, ATC communication limitations, and recurrent near-miss incidents at DCA.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its preliminary report on the midair collision between PSA Airlines flight 5342 (CRJ700) and a US Army Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk (PAT25) over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) on January 29, 2025. The crash resulted in the deaths of all 67 people aboard both aircraft, prompting an urgent review of airspace procedures.
According to the DCA25MA108 preliminary report, the collision occurred at 20:48 EST, approximately 0.5 nautical miles southeast of DCA, at an altitude of around 300 feet while the CRJ700 was on final approach to Runway 33.
The investigation has identified critical safety issues, including inadequate separation between helicopter and airplane operations, ATC communication limitations, and recurrent near-miss incidents at DCA.
Key Findings from the Preliminary Report
The NTSB's initial review provides a timeline of events, insights into aircraft performance, air traffic control (ATC) interactions, and crew responses before the accident.
Aircraft Involved & Flight Paths
- PSA Airlines flight 5342 (N709PS)
- Aircraft: MHI RJ Aviation CL-600-2C10 (CRJ700)
- Route: Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT) → Washington National Airport (DCA)
- Flight status: Cleared for Mount Vernon Visual Approach to Runway 1, later reassigned to Runway 33.
- US Army UH-60L Black Hawk (PAT25)
- Aircraft: Sikorsky UH-60L
- Mission: Pilot’s annual standardization evaluation using night vision goggles.
- Route: Departed Davison Army Airfield (DAA), Fort Belvoir, Virginia, under VFR (Visual Flight Rules) along FAA-designated Helicopter Route 1 and Route 4.
Sequence of Events
- 20:33:41 – PAT25 requests and is cleared for Helicopter Route 1 to 4.
- 20:43:06 – DCA tower offers Flight 5342 a landing switch to Runway 33, which the crew accepts.
- 20:46:01 – ATC advises PAT25 of nearby traffic (Flight 5342 at 1,200 ft, circling for Runway 33).
- 20:46:08 – PAT25 confirms traffic in sight and requests visual separation, which ATC approves.
- 20:47:39 – ATC reconfirms if PAT25 has visual contact; a conflict alert sounds in the control tower.
- 20:47:42 – ATC instructs PAT25 to pass behind the CRJ700, but this instruction may not have been fully received due to radio interference.
- 20:47:40 – Flight 5342’s Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) issues a “Traffic, Traffic” alert.
- 20:47:44 – PAT25 again requests visual separation, possibly misinterpreting ATC’s previous instruction.
- 20:47:58 – Flight 5342 pitches up in an apparent last-second evasive maneuver.
- 20:47:59 – Midair collision occurs at 300 feet altitude.
- 20:48:00 – Both aircraft lose control and impact the Potomac River.
Impact & Damage
- Flight 5342’s left wing struck PAT25’s tail rotor.
- PAT25’s tail rotor blade was embedded in the CRJ700’s fuselage.
- Flight 5342’s left wing separated, causing the aircraft to roll nearly 450 degrees before crashing nose-first.
- PAT25 lost tail rotor control, entered an uncontrolled descent, and broke apart upon impact.
Historical Near-Miss Incidents & Airspace Risk
The NTSB report highlights previous safety concerns at DCA, including frequent near-midair collisions between commercial aircraft and helicopters operating along Route 4.
- Between 2011 and 2024, at least one TCAS resolution advisory per month was recorded due to aircraft proximity conflicts near DCA.
- Between October 2021 and December 2024, FAA data shows:
- 15,214 occurrences where an airplane and a helicopter were separated by less than 1 nautical mile laterally and less than 400 feet vertically.
- 85 recorded events with a lateral separation of less than 1,500 feet and vertical separation of less than 200 feet.
- Two-thirds of these incidents occurred at night, mirroring conditions at the time of the January 29 crash.
NTSB’s Urgent Safety Recommendations
As a result of these findings, the NTSB has issued two urgent safety recommendations to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA):
- Prohibit helicopter operations on Route 4 between Hains Point and the Wilson Bridge when Runways 15 and 33 are in use for departures or arrivals at DCA (Safety Recommendation A-25-1).
- Designate an alternative helicopter route to facilitate operations when Route 4 is restricted, preventing unnecessary workload for air traffic controllers (Safety Recommendation A-25-2).
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy emphasized the immediate need for action, stating that existing separation distances between helicopter traffic and commercial aircraft at DCA are insufficient and pose an intolerable risk to aviation safety.
FAA Response & Temporary Flight Restrictions
In the aftermath of the collision, the FAA issued NOTAM 5/4379 on February 19, 2025, restricting all helicopter traffic over the Potomac River near DCA from the surface to 17,999 feet except for:
- Lifesaving medical flights.
- Active law enforcement operations.
- Air defense missions.
- Presidential transport.
This restriction will remain in effect until at least March 31, 2025, while the FAA evaluates further safety measures.
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