Report into Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines crash reveals fatal mistakes before collision
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The crucial errors that led to fatal Washington DC plane crash
- A new report reveals fatal errors leading to the January 29 mid-air collision between a US Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane in Washington DC, killing all 67 people aboard both aircraft.
- The Black Hawk pilot, Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, failed to follow her co-pilot's instruction to change course, a crucial error that put them on a collision course with the passenger jet, an investigation by the New York Times found.
- Communication issues, including disrupted radio transmissions between air traffic control and the helicopter crew, further compounded the situation, the investigation found.
- The helicopter's location tracking technology was reportedly switched off due to US Army protocol, hindering efforts to prevent the collision.
- Air traffic control errors also contributed to the tragedy, the Times said, as controllers failed to provide timely emergency instructions.