NTSB Report: Army Helicopter Exceeded Altitude Limits Before Fatal Midair Collision

Investigation into Midair Collision

• ✈️ The NTSB is investigating a fatal midair collision between a US Army UH60 Lima helicopter (PAT 25) and PSA Airlines flight 5342 (CRJ700) on January 29th, 2025, near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
• 💔 The accident resulted in the tragic loss of all crew members on the helicopter and all 63 individuals (two pilots, two flight attendants, 60 passengers) on the airplane.
• 💥 Both aircraft were destroyed upon impact.

Altitude Discrepancies and Altimeter Systems

• 🔍 Investigators found discrepancies regarding the accident helicopter's altitude, prompting further investigation into the altitude information presented to the UH60L pilots and recorded by its flight data recorder (FDR).
• ⚠️ The Army crew was trained to use the barometric altimeter for routes around DCA, but CVR recordings indicated possible lower-than-actual altitude understanding by the crew.
• 📊 Discrepancies were noted between the FDR pressure altitude and the determined height above sea level for the helicopter.
• 🔬 Subsequent testing revealed similar discrepancies between cockpit barometric altimeters and determined height above sea level on three other UH60Ls.
• 🛠️ The panel aims to explore the design of pitot-static systems and altimeters, their unique challenges for helicopters, and methods for ensuring their accuracy and maintenance.