Exactly six months after the National Transportation Safety Board issued recommendations following the 2025 midair collision of an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over Reagan National Airport, Chair Jennifer Homendy is calling for further action from Congress.
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“Six months ago, we concluded our investigation and adopted our final report, issuing 75 findings and 50 safety recommendations, all of which must be implemented to prevent reoccurrence, yet we are no closer today to addressing many of the serious safety gaps that contributed to this terrible tragedy,” Homendy said in a statement.
Sixty-seven people, including three Army crew members in the helicopter, were killed in the crash on Jan. 29, 2025.
“Every day that passes without implementation of all 50 NTSB recommendations represents a continued and unacceptable risk to public safety,” Homendy said.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Army have agreed to close a helicopter route near Reagan National, and the agencies have also agreed to suspend what’s known as “visual separation,” where direct visual observation is used to keep aircraft apart.
In direct response to the NTSB recommendations, the Senate passed the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act in December 2025, but it failed in the House. In April, the House passed the Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act.
In her statement, Homendy urged members of Congress to move with urgency.
“Congress left for August recess without action on a final bill and we urge they work through differences during this recess so that a final package can be voted on when Congress returns in September,” she said.
She said that the NTSB’s “clear road map” will reduce the likelihood of another tragic incident, adding that they “owe it to the victims, to the families who continue to grieve their loss, and to the millions of people who rely on the safety of our aviation system every day.”
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