As Army Defends Its Pilots After Deadly Collision Because ‘Nobody’s Perfect,’ Investigators Dissect Air Traffic Control

The U.S. Army defended its pilots on Thursday as federal hearings continued into the deadly midair collision between an Army helicopter and a passenger jet over Washington, D.C.

The hearings come months after the Jan. 29 crash, which killed three crew members aboard a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and all 64 passengers on the American Airlines flight. The two aircraft collided over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan National Airport.

During Thursday’s panel, officials explained that the helicopter crew may have believed they were flying lower than they actually were. Some of the helicopter’s altimeter readings — which indicate altitude — were reportedly inaccurate. At the time of the crash, the Black Hawk was flying well above its 200-foot ceiling.

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 5 David Van Vechten Jr. testified that the pilots were following their training, even though the FAA helicopter route chart for the area contained “confusing” and “conflicting” altitude guidance.

“But the 12th aviation pilots were trained to fly as close to the maximum as charted in accordance with AP, the area planning guide in the flight information publication, trying to maintain that altitude as best you can,” Van Vechten said.

When asked by the NTSB if Army pilots interpreted 200 feet as the maximum allowable altitude, Van Vechten replied, “Yes.” He added that while crews aimed not to exceed the limit, “nobody is perfect” and certain situations could push them above or below it.

An NTSB presentation revealed that the helicopter crew had discussed their altitude shortly before the collision — but inaccurate instruments may have prevented them from realizing the danger. At one point, instructor Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves told Capt. Rebecca Lobach to “come down” to 200 feet, believing they were at 300 feet.

On Wednesday, U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Kylene Lewis testified that an 80- to 100-foot discrepancy in altimeter readings typically wouldn’t raise concerns.

At the time of the crash, the American Airlines plane was flying from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, carrying several young figure skaters returning from an elite training camp. The Black Hawk was heading back to Fort Belvoir, Virginia, after a pilot evaluation.

On Thursday, Rick Dressler, an official with Metro Aviation, criticized the Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion for what he called a “gross misunderstanding of the airspace.” The Black Hawk involved in the crash belonged to that battalion.

Dressler noted the unit had stopped attending quarterly fly-in meetings with Prince George’s County aviation officials after a change in leadership. Those gatherings, he said, provided valuable airspace knowledge from experienced pilots — including a county chief pilot with 38 years of experience.

The FAA also faced tough questioning over its delay in drug and alcohol testing for air traffic controllers on duty during the crash. Federal guidelines recommend testing within two to eight hours of a fatal accident. In this case, the decision to test came four hours after the crash — but testing didn’t occur until the next day.

FAA Acting Deputy Chief Operating Officer Nick Fuller said the agency delayed testing because they initially believed it was still a rescue mission and fatalities had not been confirmed.

That explanation drew criticism from NTSB medical officer Dr. Katherine Wilson, who argued that the potential for serious injuries should have triggered immediate testing.

Later, NTSB member Michael Inman questioned the FAA’s account, pointing out that fatalities were confirmed within minutes of the crash. “I had to look over 21 body bags right then. You’re telling me you didn’t know a fatality occurred?” he said.

The hearings are scheduled to conclude Friday, Aug. 1.