The NTSB hizo púthe war Preliminary accident report aéprisoner in Washington in which a blackhawk uh-60 and a CRJ-700 PSA Airlines collided in the air. Ndtv.com photo
Something más of a month afterés to have given this terrible and very mediumáTico accident aéI am collapsed social networks with theoryías, videos e imágenes, the NTSB hizo púBLICAL The expected preliminary report that allows us to know más details, some well -known and other totally new details and to giveán form to the final report that toúcan'títo take several monthsás.
Preliminary accident report toéinmate by colisión in the air in Washington
The 29 of January of 2025, approximately at 20:48 Hora isáEast of the east (EAST), un Sikorsky UH-60L, operated by exéEE rcito. 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 ríor potomac in southwest Washington, D.C..
Additional details:
- Date and time: 29 of January of 2025, 20:48 EAST
- Locationón: 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
- Númere standard: Not specified in the preliminary report.
- foodíbutt:
- BOMBARDIER CL-600-2010: N709PS
- Sikorsky UH60L: Unreg
- Núflight grouper: PSA Airlines Flight 5342
- Andñto the aircraft: Both aircraft were destroyed.
- Víhonor:
- 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 Initó Your journey from Wichita Dwight D National Airport. Eisenhower (ICT) at 18:39 EAST, operating under a sec flight planún the instrumental flight rules (IFR). This flight was regíA for the regulations of the part 121 of the cf, that covers airline operationsícommercial lines. On the other hand, the helixóPETRO PAT25, operated by exéUnited States Code, took offó del Davison Army Airfield (DAA) in a very Belvoir, Virginia, at 18:45.
La misióN of the PAT25 was to carry out the evaluationóAnnual standardization nópilot's number, that this occasionón includingíto the use of visi glassesóN Night (NPA). It is important to note that the PAT25 operated under a visual flight rules flight plan (VFR). At the time of the accident, Meteorol conditionsógica in him área de Washington, D.C., specíphically in the nearíAs of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), They were characterized by being meteorol conditionsóNight visual gica.
Around the 2015, the flight 5342 startedó Your initial descent.
Around the 2030, Pat25 beganó To generally travel south afterés to maneuver near Laytonsville, Maryland. Helic's CVR audioóptero indicó that the IP was the pilot flying and the pilot was the pilot who monitored and transmittedíA on the radio at this time.
Pat25 first recordó With the DCA tower controller to 2032. The emiti controlleró THE ADJUSTMENT OF THE ALTímeter of 29,89 Mercury inches, and the crewón de Pat25 Acusó I receive reading the ALT adjustment correctlyímetro. Afterés of this initial contact with the DCA tower, the crewón madeó A change of control; The pilot becameó In the pilot flying and the IP becameó In the pilot who monitored and transmitíA on the radio during the rest of the flight.
At 2033:41, the crewón of the Pat25 I askó to the Helic routeóptero 1 to the route 4 To Daa, which was approved by the tower controller. At 2038:39, the helixóLleg pteroó A La IncerseccióN of the Beltway and the RíPotomac about cardiock, Maryland. Afterés to turn briefly west, Pat25 providesó Again east and startó To descend when taking the Helic routeóptero 1 About río Potomac towards the southeast in directionón to the center of Washington, DC.
At 2039:10, Potomac Approach Authorizó to the crewóflight number 5342, that approached DCA from the south, For the approximationóN Visual Mount Vernon to the track 1. At 2040:46, the grandfatherón salió of a left turn established in the locator of the runway landing system for the track 1, approximately to 4,000 Pressi altitude feetón, 170 knots (kts), With the top train and the flaps extended to 20°.
At 2043:06, the crewóflight number 5342 He made initial contact with the DCA tower. Right now, the grandfatherón I was some 10.5 miles náUticas (nm) of DCA. The tower controller questionó If the crewón podíto change to the track 33. The crewón agreed, and the subsequently authorizer controlleró on the fly 5342 For landing on the track 33. The crewón acusó I receive and repeató la authorizationón.
At 2043:48, Pat25 was approximately 1.1 nm west of the Key bridge. Sayún the Helic CVRóptero, The pilot indicó that were a 300 pies. El IP indicó that were a 400 pies. None of the pilots made a comment arguing an altitude discrepancy. At 2044:27, While HelicóPtero approached the Key bridge, el IP indicó than the HelicóPtero was a 300 feet descending to 200 pies.
The FDR of the flight 5342 indicó what, between the 2044:41 and the 2044:45, the crewón selectó 30° of flaps and then 45° de flaps. At 2044:49, The AVI landing trainón was down and blocked. the grandfatherón was completely configured for landing at some 6.2 nm south of the airport. At 2045:27, the autopilotáTico is disconnectedó And the flight 5342 startedó A shallow right to the right from the track locator 1 at a radius altitude of approximately 1,700 feet and a speed atéevil of 134 kts. This happenedó approximately to 5 nm south of the airport.
At 2045:14, the crewón de PAT25 informó to your position controllerón on the memorial bridge. At 2045:30, Pat25 notó On the memorial bridge. CVR data revealed that the IP told the pilot that they were 300 feet and needed to descend. The pilot said to descendían a 200 pies. At 2045:58, the helixóptero crossó The Washington and Sigui Tidal Basinó The Washington channel according to the Helic routeóptero 1.
At 2046:02, Una TransmissionóN of Radio de la Torre was audible at the CVR of the flight 5342 informing Pat25 that the TRáFico just south of the Wilson bridge was a crj (flight 5342) a 1,200 feet turning to the track 33.
Helic CVR dataóPtero indicated that the portón from transmissionsón that indicated that the CRJ was «turn around» It may not have been received by the crewón of pat25. The word «turn around» It is heard in ATC communications, así as in the CVR of the AVIón, But not in the Helic CVRóptero.
At 2046:08, the crewón de PAT25 informó that you haveían el tráfico in sight and requestó Maintain the separationón visual. The approval controlleró The application. Right now, The distance between the two aircraft was approximately 6.5 nm.
At 2046:29, Flight CVR data 5342 indicated that the crewón receivedó An automated alert of 1,000 pies.
At 2046:48, The DCA Authoriz Toweró To another tráJet Fico on the track 1 For immediate exit without delay.
At 2047:27, O 32 seconds before impact, Pat25 notó La Punta on Hains Point.
Approximately a second afterés, the flight 5342 startedó A left turn for the approachóN final to track 33. the grandfatherón was at an altitude of radius of 516 feet and 133 kts. At 2047:29, the crewóflight number 5342 I receivedó An automated alert of 500 pies.
At 2047:39, O 20 seconds before impact, Una Transmissionón of Radio de la Torre was audible in both CVR asking the crewóN of Pat25 if the CRJ was in sight. A conflict alert was audible at the bottom of the transmissionóN of Radio ATC.
At 2047:40, the crewóflight number 5342 I receivedó A TR noticeáAutomated Fico of the TR alert systemáfico and evasiócollisions n (TCAS) grandfather'són thatía: «Tráfico, Tráfico». Right now, The aircraft were at approximately 0.95 nm away.
At 2047:42, O 17 seconds before impact, Una TransmissionóN of Radio de la Torre was audible in both CVR indicating to Pat25 to pass detailáS DEL CRJ. Helic CVR dataóPtero indicated that the portón from transmissionsón thatía «pasar detrás of the» It may not have been received by the crewón of pat25, since the transmissionón was interrupted by a pulsationóN from Micróphono of 0.8 seconds of Pat25.
In response, at 2047:44, the crewón of pat25 indicó that the tráFico was in sight and requestó separationón visual, which was approved by the DCA Tower. CVR data indicated that, afterés of this transmissionón, The IP told the pilot to believeíWhat ATC was asking the Helicóptero that would move left towards the east shore of the Potomac.
At 2047:52, O 7 seconds before impact, the flight 5342 salió in approximationófinal n for track 33. the grandfatherón was at an altitude of radius of 344 feet and 143 kts.
At 2047:58, O 1 second before impact, the flight 5342 startedó to increase your nod. FDR data showed that avi elevatorsón deviated near their máXimo Morro Tour.
At 2047:58, The emiti controlleró Una authorizationón of landing to another avión. During this transmissionón, Audible reactions of the other tower drivers were heard while watching the colisión, what happenedó around the 2047:59 while the flight 5342 I was on the río Potomac and in approximationófinal n for track 33.
The FDR of the flight 5342 indicó that the úlast registered radio altitude of the AVIón was 313 pies, 2 seconds before the colisión. The nodge of the avión at the time of the colisión was 9° Morro up and alabeo was 11° left wing below. the grandfatherón was descending to 448 feet per minute.
The FDR of PAT25 indicatesó that Helic's radio altitudeóptero at the time of the colisión was from 278 feet and hadíto keep stable during the 5 previous seconds. Helic's nodóptero at the time of the colisión was approximately 0.5° Morro up with an alabeo to the left of 1.6°.
The NTSB obtained video recordings from various sources that showed the colisión between aircraft and their descent to water. Una revisionópreliminary revel videosó that navigation lightsón of the left and right wings of the avión, The anti -olisi lightsón (strobeópizzas) left -wing, right and tail, Morro's landing lights, Right and left wing, así Like upper and lower beacon lights, They were all illuminated before the colisión. Además, The anti -olisi lightsón (strobeópizzas) from the lower part of the fuselage and the pilóHelic's tail nóptero, Together with the positions of positionón of the left pylons, right and tail, spaghettién were illuminated before the colisión. None of the avi lightsón used Technología LED. The video showó what, Immediately afterés of the colisión, The outer left wing of the avión se separó, and the avión gearó approximately 450°, impacting water in an attitude of approximately 45° Morro down with an alabeo to the left of approximately 90°.
Preliminary findings of the investigationón
- The ntsb youró to the scene of the accident to initiate the investigationóN and Supervisó Recovery operationsón in water.
- Both aircraft were equipped with flight data recorders (FDR) and cabin voice recorders (CVR), which were recovered and their data successfully downloaded in good conditionóN and quality.
- La revisionón from informationón Collecting Volunteer Security Reports programs, Together with FAA data on the meetings between Helicópteros and commercial aircraft near DCA between 2011 and 2024, indicó that the great majoríA of the reported events occurred during the approximationón to landing. El anáInitial Lisis Reveló that activatesó At least one resolution alertón (RA) From TCas per month due to the proximity to a helicóptero. In más of half of these cases, the helixóPtero could have overcome the restriccióN route altitude n. Two thirds of the events occurred at night.
- Una revisionón of commercial operations (Departures or arrivals with instrumental flight rules) in DCA between October 2021 and December 2024 indicó a total of 944,179 operations. During that period, They were recorded 15.214 incidents between commercial airplanes and helicópteros con una separationón lateral inferior a 1 mn y una separationón vertical inferior a 122 m. They were recorded 85 incidents with a separationón lateral inferior a 457 m y una separationón vertical inferior a 60 m.
- The Cabin of the DCA control towerá oriented to the east, Looking on the other side of Río Potomac, And at the time of the accident he managed the TRáfico in one «OperationóN 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. Helic control positionsóPternos and local control were combined at 15:40 of díto the accident, as well as flight data and authorizations delivery positions. The flight 5342 He communicated with the DCA tower controllerés of the frequency published for the control tower of 119,1 MHz; The PAT25 communicated with the tower controller throughés of the frequency published for Helicópteros of 134,35 MHz. Both frequencies used the very high frequency range. Because aircraft were in different frequencies, flight crews 5342 and of the PAT25 no podíAn listen to the transmissions of each one to the controller, But controller transmissions to each aircraft Sí They were audible to both crews.
- The helixóPtero Pat25 was not equipped with an autom pilot systemático.
- The preliminary report includes informationón detailed on TR control communicationsáI'm theéreo, the flight paths of the aircraft and the events that led to the colisión, I recommend reading it.
- The investigationón isá In progress and the NTSB has issued urgent security recommendations to FAA.
Actions taken for security
The 31 of January of 2025, LA FAA EMITIó a (NOTE) que ohíbe the tráI am HelicóPTEROS ON THE Río Potomac, near the DCA, From the surface to the 5.499 m above sea level (inclusive), with exceptions for Mision MéRescue Tips, of order forces, Defense aéPRESIDENTIAL TRANSPORT. If such missions are required, will not be allowedá Civil aircraft access to the area. The verseón máS Recent of Notam, 5/4379, se emitió the 19 February 2025, With the updated dimensions of the restrictionóN temporal flight. The notice is to beá in force until 31 march 2025 at 23:59 UTC.
The 11 march 2025, LAsb in Mitió Two urgent recommendations for FAA security on Helic routesópteros near DCA.
The complete preliminary report is foundí with many más details: https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/Documents/DCA25MA108%20Prelim.pdf
