What we know
What we know: Families of the 67 who died in last year's midair collision want reforms to prevent the next tragedy
Compiled Sep 15
What we know
- 67 people died when an American Airlines jet from Wichita, Kansas, and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided over Washington, D.C.
- The crash occurred on Jan. 29, 2025, and is the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster since 2001.
- 28 members of the figure skating community were among the victims.
- The FAA restricted helicopter traffic around Reagan National Airport after the crash.
- Air traffic controllers are now prohibited from relying only on pilots to see and avoid other aircraft.
- Victims' families, lawmakers and NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy rallied outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday to demand reforms.
What we don’t know yet
- Whether Congress can pass reform legislation before the midterm elections.
- Lawmakers are still trying to draft a compromise bill combining differing House and Senate proposals.
- The NTSB remains unsatisfied with the FAA's response to a third of the 33 safety recommendations it issued.
- Whether airlines will be required to install ADS-B In collision-avoidance technology remains contested due to cost concerns.
Open questions
- Will Congress pass aviation safety reforms before the second anniversary of the crash?
- How will lawmakers reconcile the differing House and Senate bill versions?
- Will airlines be required to adopt ADS-B In collision-avoidance technology despite cost objections?
- Why did the military reverse course and oppose the Senate safety bill?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.