NTSB Cites FAA Route Design as Probable Cause in D.C. Midair Collision

The Jan. 29, 2025 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport resulted in the deaths of all 68 people aboard a PSA Airlines CRJ-700 and a U.S. Army UH-60L helicopter. The aircraft collided 0.5 miles southeast of the airport, crashing into the Potomac River.

In its final report released Feb. 17, 2026, the NTSB identified the FAA's placement of helicopter Route 4 in close proximity to the runway 33 approach path as the probable cause. The agency also cited a failure to review or act on risk-mitigation data and an overreliance on visual "see-and-avoid" separation as contributing factors. Key findings included a combined tower-control team with degraded situational awareness, a lack of real-time risk assessment, and Army training gaps on barometric altimeter error tolerances.

The report called for immediate action: closing Route 4 during runway 33 landings, redesigning ATC staffing, and enhancing data reviews for military helicopter routes. It added 50 recommendations, many deemed urgent, to prevent a repeat of the tragedy. Regulators and industry stakeholders now face pressure to implement these changes swiftly.