374 NTSB Preliminary Report Out for Reagan National Midair Collision over Potomac River
Aviation News Talk podcast
Glass Cockpit Publishing
4.8 • 730 Ratings
🗓️ 12 March 2025
⏱️ 31 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The NTSB held a press conference to provide preliminary findings from the flight Max talks about new findings from the NTSB Preliminary Report on the midair collision over the Potomac River involving a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and a PSA Airlines regional jet near Reagan National Airport (DCA). The episode features audio from NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy and DOT Secretary Sean Duffy, highlighting the systemic risks in the airspace.
The report reveals a history of frequent near-midair collisions at DCA, with 85 close encounters (under 200 feet vertical, 1,500 feet lateral separation) in the last two and a half years. A key issue is Route 4, where helicopters fly with only 75 feet of separation from aircraft on approach to Runway 33. The NTSB recommends closing Route 4 near DCA and establishing an alternative route.
The episode also discusses systemic normalization of deviance, where repeated near misses led to complacency. DOT plans major air traffic control upgrades, including AI monitoring for collision hotspots.
Max reviews details from the cockpit voice and flight data recorders, noting altitude discrepancies and miscommunications between ATC and the helicopter crew. He urges pilots to report hazards proactively, emphasizing that a culture of safety is critical to preventing future accidents.
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Preliminary NTSB Report on Reagan Midair Collision
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Hello again and welcome to a newsmaker's edition where we talk about people making the news. |
| 0:05.8 | Earlier today, the NTSB released the preliminary report regarding the U.S. Army Black Hawk |
| 0:11.1 | helicopter in a PSA Airlines regional jet that collided over the Potomac River in late January. |
| 0:17.4 | In addition, both the NTSB and the Department of Transportation held press conferences about the accident. |
| 0:24.0 | Today I'll be talking about the new information found in that preliminary report, and you'll hear |
| 0:28.4 | audio clips from both of those press conferences. |
| 0:31.3 | So please stick around because this Newsmaker's edition starts now. |
| 0:35.4 | Hello again and welcome to Aviation News Talk where we talk general aviation. |
| 0:39.2 | My name is Max Truscott. I've been flying for 51 years. I'm the author of several books and the |
| 0:44.2 | 2008 National Flight Instructor of the Year. And my mission is to help you become the safest |
| 0:49.2 | possible pilot. Last week in episode 373, we talked with Ron Ferry Donova about what pilots need to know |
| 0:56.8 | about flying a small plane to Mexico and to other countries. So if you didn't hear that episode, |
| 1:01.7 | you may want to check it out at AviationNewsdark.com slash 373. And if you're new to the show, |
| 1:07.2 | please touch either the subscribe key or the follow key in whatever app that you're listening |
| 1:11.4 | to us on so that next week's episode is downloaded for free. And if you've been listening to the show |
| 1:16.7 | for a while and feel that you're getting value from it, please take a moment now and join the |
| 1:21.9 | club and support the show financially by going out to the web to Aviationnewstock.com slash support and sign up to support |
| 1:29.6 | the show. And if you're in the market for a new headset, and who couldn't use another new headset, |
| 1:34.8 | please go to AviationNewsdark.com slash lightspeed first when you buy a light speed headset. |
| 1:40.8 | And when you do, they'll set a check to support the show. Now let's start with some clips of |
| 1:45.0 | NTSB board chairman, Jennifer Homondy, speaking at the NTSB press conference today. Later, you'll hear |
| 1:51.6 | clips from Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and then finally I'll share some of the new |
... |
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