The agency's chair says it is seeing "conflicting information in the data" regarding the helicopter’s altitude before the collision.
A crane removes airplane wreckage from the Potomac River (Photo: ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said there may have been an altitude discrepancy between both aircraft involved in a fatal collision over the Potomac River during a press conference in Washington, D.C., on Friday afternoon.
The press briefing comes just over two weeks after a midair collision occurred between a PSA CRJ-700 and U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Jan. 29.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy detailed several key factors in the collision during Friday’s briefing.
Homendy said that the crew aboard the Black Hawk helicopter were on an Army “check ride,” which utilized night vision goggles. She said that NTSB believed the crew was all wearing these night vision goggles.
During the check ride, the helicopter was operated by a pilot and instructor. Homendy said that at 8:43 p.m. ET, five minutes before the collision, the Black Hawk’s pilot indicated the helicopter was at 300 feet, while the instructor pilot said they were at 400 feet.
“Neither pilot made a comment discussing an altitude discrepancy,” she added. “At this time, we don’t know why there was a discrepancy between the two. That’s something that the investigative team is analyzing.”
The radio altitude of the Black Hawk was 278 feet, though Homendy cautioned that this is not what the crew may have seen on their instruments.
In addition, the helicopter was equipped with ADS-B Out capabilities, but investigators do not know why it wasn’t transmitting.
Investigators examine wreckage from the CRJ-700. (Photo: NTSB)
Homendy said at 8:46 p.m., a radio transmission from the air traffic control tower was audible on the CRJ’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR) informing the Black Hawk that traffic just south of the Wilson Bridge was a CRJ at 1,200 feet “circling” to Runway 33.
“CVR data from the Black Hawk indicated that the portion of the transmission stating the CRJ was ‘circling’ may not have been received by the Black Hawk crew,” she said. “We hear the word ‘circling’ in ATC communications, but we do not hear the word ‘circling’ on the CVR of the Black Hawk. The recorders group is evaluating this right now.”
At 8:47 p.m., 17 seconds before impact, the Black Hawk was directed by air traffic control to “pass behind” the CRJ. Homendy said that this radio transmission was audible on both CVRs.
“CVR data from the Black Hawk indicated that the portion of the transmission that stated ‘pass behind the’ may not have been received by the Black Hawk crew,” she said. “Transmission was stepped on by a 0.8-second mic key from the Black Hawk. The Black Hawk was keying the mic to communicate with [air traffic control].”
Homendy added that the NTSB is seeing “conflicting information in the data,” which is why the agency isn’t releasing altitude for the Black Hawk’s entire route.
Last week, the remains of all 67 victims from both aircraft were recovered and identified. Recovery efforts by Unified Command in the Potomac River were completed earlier this week, and all airport runways were reopened as of Monday.
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