Key Takeaway From the Reagan Air Crash Probe: Helicopter Had Faulty Altitude Data
Helicopter altitude readings that rely on barometric pressure were an early focus in the first of a three-day National Transportation Safety Board hearing into the midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The crash killed 67 people, and became the nation's deadliest aviation disaster in more than 15 years.
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Deadly DC plane crash was years in the making, air traffic manager tells NTSB
The deadly mid-air collision at Reagan Airport in January was years in the making, the operations manager of the DCA air traffic control tower on the night of the accident told the National Transportation Safety Board on Friday. "I don't think this accident occurred that night," Clark Allen, the operations manager, said at the investigative hearing. "I think it happened years before we've talked about, you know, resources, whether they were available or unavailable at certain time frames, folks being listened to or not being listened to at certain times. This was not that evening. It was a combination over many years that I think that built up to that evening." The NTSB concluded three days of hearings late Friday, during which the agency's investigators questioned officials from the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Army, American Airlines regional subsidiary PSA Airlines and other parties over January's mid-air collision between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people. It was the nation's first major commercial airline crash since 2009. During the hearings, the NTSB was told that the Army helicopter never heard the command from the air traffic controller to "pass behind the CRJ" as the transmission was stepped on. It was also revealed that the plane's pilots were not warned by the controller that there was a helicopter nearby or cleared to fly near the helicopter. The NTSB Chairwoman also called out the FAA for not sharing a full list of who was working in the control tower the night of the crash until July 6, months after the accident. Pilots likely didn't know how high they were The NTSB's investigation found discrepancies in the altitude data shown on radio and barometric altimeters on Army helicopters after conducting test flights following January's accident. It is likely that the helicopter crew did not know their true altitude due to notoriously faulty altimeters inside this series of Black Hawks, according to the investigation. At their closest points, helicopters and planes flew within 75 feet of each other near DCA, an astonishingly close number. During the hearings, the NTSB was told Army Black Hawks can often have wrong readings and a margin of error of +-200 feet. "I am concerned there is a possibility that what the crew saw was very different than what the true altitude was. We did testing in May that shows concerns with the altimeters, the barometric altimeters on the 60 Lima. So we are concerned, and it's something we have to continue to investigate how significant is 100 feet in this circumstance," Homendy told reporters on Wednesday. Army officials told the NTSB investigators that they plan to inform other military aviation officials of the altitude discrepancy by September, but NTSB board member Todd Inman criticized this for a lack of urgency. The Army officials said they are also addressing it by mentioning it in the public testimony. "I hope every Army aviator is not having to watch the livestream to figure out if there's a discrepancy in their altitudes and planes that are flying around," Inman said. Disconnect between DCA controllers and FAA leadership NTSB investigators and board members noted that there seems to be a "disconnect" between the information they are getting from the FAA officials versus what the employees have shared with them during the interviews. "What we're trying to understand is where the disconnect is because what we have is for example, reports from controllers today that are saying there were 10-15 loss of separation events since the accident," Homendy said. Tension in the tower Chair Homendy noted air traffic controllers crying during interviews with investigators following the crash, adding the controller whose voice is heard talking to the doomed aircraft has not returned to work. Tensions have been so high in the tower following the crash, a shouting match turned into a fist fight this spring, ending with a controller being arrested. Some employees say they feared getting transferred or fired if concerns were brought up to their superiors. "I hundred percent agree with you. There definitely seems to be some barrier in communication where the people that impacts it the most are not hearing the things that the FAA is moving forward on and that needs to be addressed. I agree," said Franklin McIntosh, acting chief operating officer of the Air Traffic Organization -- the operation arm of the FAA. "I wholeheartedly agree and I will commit to you and everyone on the board in the panel that I will start working this immediately to make sure whatever those barriers are occurring, that it stops," McIntosh said. "Clearly someone in the facility doesn't feel like they're getting the help that they should be getting and quite honestly if that word's not getting down, then we need to do a better job in breaking through whatever that barrier is." The FAA has pushed back on claims of employees being removed or transferred out of the tower as a result of the collision. "So we didn't remove anybody as a result of an accident," said Nick Fuller, acting deputy chief operating officer with the Air Traffic Organization. Homendy challenged that assertion saying, "I think many would disagree, since it was done pretty immediately. Also the NTSB had to weigh in several times to get people help in the tower." NTSB investigators also pressed FAA officials over controllers who manage DCA airspace feeling pressured to "make it work" due to the large volume of aircraft in the airspace near the airport. "We have many non-standard tools that we use in order to be able to bring a significant amount of airplanes into DCA, " said Bryan Lehman, air traffic manager at the Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control, which manages air traffic control in the region, while also adding that they do take "pride in it," but that it gets too much after a certain point. Lehman also testified at the hearing that controllers sent a memo to their superiors in 2023 requesting a lower arrival rate for airplanes, but the concerns were dismissed and Congress approved more flights for DCA. ADSB policy for Army Despite calls from lawmakers and the NTSB for mandated Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADSB) -- technology that makes the aircraft more visible to the tower, other aircraft and the public -- on all aircraft, including military aircraft, it remains a point of hesitation for the Army. All aircraft flying over 18,000 feet are required to have ADSB but certain aircraft, including military aircraft, are exempt from transmitting ADSB location when flying for security reasons. "I'm pretty sure most people are aware of the fact that it's inherently open source," Army Lt. Col. Paul Flanigen told the hearing panel on Friday. "It has some spoofing vulnerabilities which make it non-conducive for those sensitive missions, which not just the army, but all of DOD has to operate on." As previously reported by ABC News, the helicopter involved in the accident was not transmitting ADSB out, meaning it wasn't transmitting its location for other aircraft nearby to see where it was. A Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) -- which detects other aircraft in close proximity -- was also not installed in the helicopter, according to the investigation. The NTSB made a recommendation nearly two decades ago asking the FAA to require ADSB on all aircraft but it was not implemented. The point was brought up again during the hearings. "Does the FAA right now support requiring any newly manufactured aircraft registered in the U.S. be equipped with ADSB in?" Homendy asked. McIntosh said yes and showed support towards requiring aircraft to be equipped with ADSB out as well. Experts have said it's more effective when an aircraft is equipped with both ADSB in and out so they can transmit their location and also receive the location of other aircraft in its near proximity. A bill in Congress titled the "Rotor Act" was introduced earlier this week by Sen. Ted Cruz, which would require all aircraft, including military aircraft, to transmit ADSB location when flying. Notably, the newly appointed FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy were present at the news conference and showed their support towards the legislation. The NTSB's investigation into the cause of the accident continues and a final report is expected by January 2026. "We do this to improve safety certainly but we all do this with each of you in mind and your loved ones that were lost tragically with you in mind not just on the CRJ but also PAT 25 so we will continue on and hope to complete this investigation within a year," Homendy said in her closing remarks on Friday.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Woman Accuses Roommate of 'Showing Off' After Talking to Guest About Her Family's Culture
She was just sharing her background when a guest asked about her cooking, but now her roommate thinks she crossed a lineNEED TO KNOW A woman explains her multicultural background to a guest who asks about her cooking Her roommate later accuses her of flirting and being "showy" in her own kitchen The woman says she just answered his questions and now faces awkward tension at homeA woman got into a tense confrontation with her roommate over a seemingly innocent conversation about her culture. The 21-year-old, who describes herself as half Mexican and half Chinese, was left questioning whether she crossed a line after speaking about her heritage with a guest in their shared apartment. 'My parents came to the US before I was born, but thought it was very important for me to learn their native languages and participate in both of their cultures," she explains in her Reddit post. As a result, she grew up fluent in both Spanish and Mandarin and surrounded by a rich blend of Chinese and Mexican cuisine due to their love of cooking. The conflict unfolded one evening when she was cooking dinner, specifically, a family-created "fusion" dish, at home. 'I got stuck on a particular step, so I called my mom to ask for help and we talked in Spanish,' she writes, adding that her 23-year-old roommate, Ann, unexpectedly returned home with friends. One of the male guests entered the kitchen after noticing the aroma and asked what she was making. 'I explained the dish was created by my parents to blend Mexican and Chinese cuisine,' she recalls, noting that the guest seemed genuinely interested in the cultural fusion. He then asked why she was speaking Spanish on the phone, prompting her to share a bit about her upbringing. 'I told him that I'm half Mexican and half Chinese, and that I grew up speaking both Spanish and Mandarin with my parents,' she writes. The conversation continued with more questions about food and language, which she answered enthusiastically. The next day, the situation took a turn when another roommate told her that Ann felt she was 'showing off and flirting' with the guest. 'This pissed me off because I wasn't trying to flirt with him and he was the one who started the conversation with me,' she says. Wanting to clear the air, she approached Ann to discuss what happened, but the talk didn't go well. 'She just seemed annoyed and told me that it was obvious how it looked and I should be more mindful when she has her friends over,' the woman writes. Caught off guard by the accusation, she pointed out that she hadn't even been informed that guests were coming over. 'I told her that I can't be 'mindful' if she doesn't even warn me about having company over,' she says, adding, 'She said that she doesn't have to get my permission to invite people to the apartment.' At this point, the poster admits she got frustrated and decided to drop the conversation. 'I was getting irritated by this point so I let the conversation die down after this,' she shares. Since then, the atmosphere at home has been noticeably strained. 'Every time I see her she's short with me and barely acknowledges me,' she explains. With tension lingering, she turns to Reddit to ask if she "behaved out of line." Responses from Reddit users flooded in, offering strong support. One commenter emphasizes, 'This doesn't have anything at all to do with your heritage. This has to do with somebody she's obviously interested in was talking to you.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Another backed her up by addressing the apartment dynamic. ''She said that she doesn't have to get my permission to invite people to the apartment.' She's right. And you don't need permission to talk to people in your apartment.' Though the original post centers on cultural identity and a casual kitchen conversation, it became clear that jealousy may be at the heart of the issue. Still, the poster insists she had no hidden motives. Her only intention, she explains, was to cook dinner and share a meaningful part of her life when asked, expressing both pride in her heritage and confusion over the backlash. For the poster, the ordeal remains unresolved, but she ends on a lighter note by sharing, 'I posted the recipe to what I made on my profile since many of you were curious!' Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
50-Year-Old Woman in Disbelief After Neighbor Called Her ‘Sad' for Complaining About Party: ‘Should We Have Sucked It Up?'
'Should we have just sucked it up, closed our windows and stayed inside?' she asked, following the confrontation with her neighborNEED TO KNOW A 50-year-old woman teamed up with a group of neighbors to confront a tenant in their apartment complex who hosted a large party Recalling the situation on Reddit, she said the exchange became "toxic" when the other person and her friends began hurling insults at the group 'Should we have just sucked it up, closed our windows and stayed inside?' the woman askedA 50-year-old woman is having second thoughts about her decision to confront a new tenant in her apartment complex. On Monday, July 28, the woman penned a lengthy post on Reddit's Am I the A------ forum, explaining that she lives in a large apartment complex with 'historical significance.' She said it has huge communal gardens that are great for sitting in with friends or solo. In recent years, however, neighbors have been using the shared space to host parties with over 50 attendees on the weekend. She said the events are often noisy until the early hours, guests use residents' parking bays and the grounds are used as a toilet due to no available facilities nearby. 'Recently, a new-ish tenant declared her intention to hold a big party in the grounds and her Facebook post got a few 'likes' (from her friends), but when it came to the weekend in question she had hired in a massive marquee that could easily hold 100 people and decided to put it up right in the middle of the gardens,' the woman wrote. The woman said the tenants who live in the apartment complex have a Facebook group, where many began to complain about the disruptive party and the size of the marquee. She recalled that other members of the group, who 'don't get impacted by garden parties as they're on the other side of the building,' started hurling insults. 'We are apparently 'sad, mean, despicable, douchebags,' just some of the choice phrases,' the original poster recounted, before revealing that several members on her side of the group were also trolled privately. The woman said everyone who complained about the party noise was accused of 'piling on' the host. 'We then received a massive 'pile on' of messages ranging from the 'mean, miserable, despicable, sad old farts' to the petulant 'I hope you're happy' grumpiness backlash piled on all weekend,' she continued. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. She described the exchange in the Facebook group as getting 'toxic very quickly.' She argued the comments made by those who disagreed were the party were 'really tame,' while those who supported the event made it personal. 'So, AITA [am I the a------] for being part of the no group?' the woman asked Redditors. 'Should we have just sucked it up, closed our windows and stayed inside?' Responses to the post reassured the woman that it was the right decision to confront the tenant hosting the loud party. Many advised her to make a noise complaint with the police or to report the tenant to the housing manager. 'NTA [not the a------]. Communal spaces such as this are intended for the use of residents, not to be used by mobs of outsiders. No event should be allowed to affect any of you in the ways that you describe,' one person commented. 'NTA. I think you all are being way too polite about huge parties of people p---ing in your gardens. More people should be loudly angry about that,' another wrote. Read the original article on People
