The NTSB made public the Preliminary accident report aerial in Washington in which a blackhawk uh-60 and a CRJ-700 PSA Airlines collided in the air. Ndtv.com photo
A little more than a month after this terrible and highly publicized plane crash occurred, which collapsed social networks with theories., videos and images, the NTSB made public the long-awaited preliminary report that allows us to know more details, some very well-known and other details that are totally new and that will shape the final report that could still take several more months.
Preliminary report of the plane crash due to mid-air collision in Washington
The 29 of January of 2025, approximately at 20:48 eastern standard time (EAST), un Sikorsky UH-60L, operated by the US Army. UU. Under the PAT25 indicative, and an MHI (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) RJ Aviation (previously bombardier) CL-600-2C10 (Crj700), N709PS, Operated by PSA Airlines as a flight 5342, They collided approximately 0.5 Miles southeast Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Arlington, Virginia, and impacted the Potomac River in southwest Washington, D.C..
Additional details:
- Date and time: 29 of January of 2025, 20:48 EAST
- Location: Washington, DC, about 0.5 Miles southeast Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), Arlington, Virginia.
- operators:
- Sikorsky UH-60L: US Army (Pat25)
- MHI CL-600-2C10: PSA Airlines (Flight 5342)
- aircraft:
- BOMBARDIER INC CL-600-2010 (Crj700)
- Sikorsky UH60L
- Serial Numbers: Not specified in the preliminary report.
- Registration:
- BOMBARDIER CL-600-2010: N709PS
- Sikorsky UH60L: Unreg
- Flight number: PSA Airlines Flight 5342
- Damage to Aircraft: Both aircraft were destroyed.
- Victims:
- BOMBARDIER CL-600-2010: 64 fatalities (2 pilots, 2 Flight assistants, 60 passengers)
- Sikorsky UH60L: 3 fatalities (3 crew)
Summary of the flight
The flight 5342 of PSA Airlines began its journey from Wichita Dwight D National Airport. Eisenhower (ICT) at 18:39 EAST, operating under a flight plan according to instrument flight rules (IFR). This flight was governed by the regulations of the Party 121 of the cf, covering commercial airline operations. On the other hand, the PAT25 helicopter, operated by the United States Army, took off from Davison Army Airfield (DAA) in a very Belvoir, Virginia, at 18:45.
The mission of PAT25 was to carry out the annual pilot standardization evaluation, which on this occasion included the use of night vision goggles (NPA). It is important to note that the PAT25 operated under a visual flight rules flight plan (VFR). At the time of the accident, weather conditions in the Washington area, D.C., specifically in the vicinity of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), They were characterized by being nocturnal visual meteorological conditions.
Around the 2015, the flight 5342 began its initial descent.
Around the 2030, PAT25 began traveling generally southward after maneuvering near Laytonsville, Maryland. The CVR audio from the helicopter indicated that the PI was the pilot flying and the pilot was the pilot monitoring and radioing at this time..
PAT25 first registered with the DCA tower controller at 2032. The controller issued the altimeter setting 29,89 Mercury inches, and the crew of PAT25 acknowledged receipt by correctly reading the altimeter setting. After this initial contact with the DCA tower, the crew made a change of control; the pilot became the pilot who flew and the PI became the pilot who monitored and radioed for the rest of the flight.
At 2033:41, PAT25 crew requested Helicopter Route 1 to the route 4 To Daa, which was approved by the tower controller. At 2038:39, the helicopter arrived at the intersection of the DC Beltway and the Potomac River near Carderock, Maryland. After briefly turning west, PAT25 turned east again and began descending as it took the Helicopter Route 1 over the Potomac River southeast toward central Washington, DC.
At 2039:10, Potomac Approach cleared flight crew 5342, that approached DCA from the south, for the Mount Vernon visual approach to the runway 1. At 2040:46, The airplane exited a left turn set on the instrument landing system localizer for the runway 1, approximately to 4,000 feet pressure altitude, 170 knots (kts), with landing gear up and flaps extended to 20°.
At 2043:06, the flight crew 5342 He made initial contact with the DCA tower. Right now, the plane was about 10.5 nautical miles (nm) of DCA. The tower controller asked if the crew could change to the runway 33. The crew agreed., and the controller subsequently cleared the flight 5342 For landing on the track 33. The crew acknowledged receipt and repeated the authorization.
At 2043:48, Pat25 was approximately 1.1 nm west of the Key bridge. According to the CVR of the helicopter, The pilot indicated that they were 300 pies. The PI indicated that they were 400 pies. None of the pilots made a comment arguing an altitude discrepancy. At 2044:27, as the helicopter approached the Key Bridge, The IP indicated that the helicopter was 300 feet descending to 200 pies.
The FDR of the flight 5342 indicated that, between the 2044:41 and the 2044:45, the crew selected 30° flaps and then 45° flaps. At 2044:49, the plane's landing gear was down and blocked. The plane was fully configured for landing at about 6.2 nm south of the airport. At 2045:27, the autopilot was disconnected and the flight 5342 began a shallow right turn from the runway locator 1 at a radius altitude of approximately 1,700 feet and an airspeed of 134 kts. This occurred approximately 5 nm south of the airport.
At 2045:14, The PAT25 crew informed the controller of their position on the Memorial Bridge. At 2045:30, PAT25 passed over the Memorial Bridge. CVR data revealed that the IP told the pilot that they were 300 feet and needed to descend. The pilot said they would descend to 200 pies. At 2045:58, the helicopter crossed the Washington Tidal Basin and followed the Washington Channel according to the Helicopter Route 1.
At 2046:02, a radio transmission from the tower was audible on the flight's CVR 5342 informing PAT25 that traffic just south of the Wilson Bridge was a CRJ (flight 5342) a 1,200 feet turning to the track 33.
The helicopter's CVR data indicated that the portion of the transmission indicating that the CRJ was "turning" may not have been received by the PAT25 crew.. The word "turning" is heard in ATC communications, as well as in the CVR of the plane, but not in the CVR of the helicopter.
At 2046:08, The PAT25 crew reported that they had traffic in sight and requested to maintain visual separation. The controller approved the request. Right now, The distance between the two aircraft was approximately 6.5 nm.
At 2046:29, Flight CVR data 5342 indicated that the crew received an automated alert of 1,000 pies.
At 2046:48, DCA tower cleared other jet traffic on the runway 1 For immediate exit without delay.
At 2047:27, O 32 seconds before impact, PAT25 passed the southern tip of Hains Point.
About a second later, the flight 5342 began a left turn for final approach to the runway 33. The plane was at a radio altitude of 516 feet and 133 kts. At 2047:29, the flight crew 5342 received an automated alert 500 pies.
At 2047:39, O 20 seconds before impact, A radio transmission from the tower was audible on both CVRs asking the crew of PAT25 if the CRJ was in sight.. A conflict alert was audible in the background of the ATC radio transmission.
At 2047:40, the flight crew 5342 received an automated traffic alert from the traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) of the plane that said: "Traffic, Traffic". Right now, The aircraft were at approximately 0.95 nm away.
At 2047:42, O 17 seconds before impact, a radio transmission from the tower was audible on both CVRs directing PAT25 to pass behind the CRJ. Data from the helicopter's CVR indicated that the "pass behind" portion of the transmission may not have been received by the PAT25 crew., since the transmission was interrupted by a microphone press from 0.8 seconds of Pat25.
In response, at 2047:44, the crew of PAT25 indicated that traffic was in sight and requested visual separation, which was approved by the DCA Tower. CVR data indicated that, after this broadcast, the PI told the pilot he believed ATC was asking the helicopter to move left toward the east bank of the Potomac.
At 2047:52, O 7 seconds before impact, the flight 5342 left on final approach to the runway 33. The plane was at a radio altitude of 344 feet and 143 kts.
At 2047:58, O 1 second before impact, the flight 5342 began to increase its pitch. FDR data showed that the plane's elevators deviated near their maximum nose-up travel.
At 2047:58, the controller issued a landing clearance to another aircraft. During this transmission, audible reactions were heard from the other tower controllers as they watched the collision, which occurred around 2047:59 while the flight 5342 was over the Potomac River and on final approach to the runway 33.
The FDR of the flight 5342 indicated that the plane's last recorded radio altitude was 313 pies, 2 seconds before collision. The pitch of the airplane at the time of the collision was 9° nose up and the bank was 11° left wing down.. The plane was descending 448 feet per minute.
The PAT25 FDR indicated that the radio altitude of the helicopter at the time of the collision was 278 feet and had remained stable during the 5 previous seconds. The pitch of the helicopter at the time of collision was approximately 0.5° nose up with a left bank of 1.6°.
The NTSB obtained video recordings from several sources showing the collision between the aircraft and their descent into the water.. A preliminary review of the videos revealed that the navigation lights on the left and right wings of the plane, anti-collision lights (strobe) left -wing, right and tail, Morro's landing lights, Right and left wing, as well as the upper and lower beacon lights, They were all illuminated before the collision. What's more, anti-collision lights (strobe) of the underside of the fuselage and tail pylon of the helicopter, together with the left pylon position lights, right and tail, They were also illuminated before the collision. None of the plane's lights used LED technology.. The video showed that, immediately after collision, the outer left wing of the plane separated, and the plane turned approximately 450°, impacting the water at an attitude of approximately 45° nose down with a bank to the left of approximately 90°.
Preliminary research findings
- The NTSB traveled to the crash site to begin the investigation and oversaw in-water recovery operations..
- Both aircraft were equipped with flight data recorders (FDR) and cabin voice recorders (CVR), which were recovered and their data successfully downloaded in good condition and quality.
- Review of information collected from voluntary safety reporting programs, along with FAA data on encounters between helicopters and commercial aircraft near DCA between 2011 and 2024, indicated that the vast majority of reported events occurred during the landing approach. Initial analysis revealed that at least one resolution alert was triggered (RA) of TCAS per month due to proximity to a helicopter. In more than half of these cases, the helicopter may have exceeded the route altitude restriction. Two thirds of the events occurred at night.
- A review of business operations (Departures or arrivals with instrumental flight rules) in DCA between October 2021 and December 2024 indicated a total of 944,179 operations. During that period, They were recorded 15.214 incidents between commercial airplanes and helicopters with lateral separation less than 1 mn and a vertical separation less than 122 m. They were recorded 85 incidents with a lateral separation less than 457 m and a vertical separation less than 60 m.
- The DCA control tower cabin faces east, looking across the Potomac River, and at the time of the accident he was managing traffic in an "Operation North", Which means that aircraft landed and took off from the track 1, with intermittent arrivals and exits to/from the track 33. The tower had five controllers at the time of the accident, that occupied five vacancies: Local Control Assistant, Earth control, Authorizations delivery, local control and operations supervisor. The helicopter control and local control positions were combined at 15:40 of the day of the accident, as well as flight data and authorizations delivery positions. The flight 5342 communicated with the DCA tower controller over the published frequency for the DCA control tower. 119,1 MHz; The PAT25 communicated with the tower controller over the published frequency for helicopters. 134,35 MHz. Both frequencies used the very high frequency range. Because aircraft were in different frequencies, flight crews 5342 and the PAT25 could not hear each other's transmissions to the controller, but the controller's transmissions to each aircraft were audible to both crews.
- The PAT25 helicopter was not equipped with an autopilot system.
- Preliminary report includes detailed information on air traffic control communications, the flight paths of the aircraft and the events that led to the collision, I recommend reading it.
- The investigation is ongoing and the NTSB has issued urgent safety recommendations to the FAA..
Actions taken for security
The 31 of January of 2025, The FAA issued a (NOTE) prohibiting helicopter traffic over the Potomac River, near the DCA, From the surface to the 5.499 m above sea level (inclusive), with exceptions for medical rescue missions, of order forces, air defense or presidential transport. If such missions are required, Civil aircraft will not be allowed to access the area.. The most recent version of NOTAM, 5/4379, was issued on 19 February 2025, with the updated dimensions of the temporary flight restriction. The NOTAM will be valid until 31 march 2025 at 23:59 UTC.
The 11 march 2025, NTSB issued two urgent safety recommendations to FAA regarding helicopter routes near DCA.
The full preliminary report can be found here with many more details: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Documents/DCA25MA108%20Prelim.pdf
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