Federal investigators have raised concerns of a capacity for another deadly aircraft crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair crash previously this year eliminated 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board gave an update on their investigation into the reason for the disaster which took place on January 29 in Washington.

An American Airlines jetliner and a Black Hawk military helicopter clashed in midair over the Potomac River, killing everyone on board both airplanes.

As part of a released on Tuesday, detectives raised issues of more collisions including helicopters at the airport.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said: 'We remain worried about the significant capacity for future mid-air collision at DCA.'

Her issues focus on Transport Secretary Sean Duffy moving to restrict helicopter traffic around the area, however that is set to cease at the end of the month.

When authorities, medical or presidential transport helicopters should utilize the area civilian airplanes are stopped from remaining in the very same area.

Homendy stated the NTSB is now suggesting that the FAA find a 'long-term service' for detours for helicopters when two of the airport's runways are in use.

Emergency units respond after a passenger aircraft hit a helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia

Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) Jennifer Homendy speaks to press reporters about the 29 January mid-air collision

It was also exposed on Tuesday that there was cautioning signs in the lead up to the deadly catastrophe.

Those penetrating the crash went through 944,179 operations between October 2021 and December 2024.

It was discovered that 15,214 'near-miss events' of aircrafts getting alerts about helicopters being in close proximity in between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB also stated that there were 85 cases where two aircraft where laterally split by less than 1,500 feet, and a vertical separation of less than 200 feet.

Homendy added: 'That information from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) might have utilized that info any time to determine that we have a pattern here and an issue here, and took a look at that path; that didn't happen, which is why we're acting today. But sadly, people lost lives, and loved ones are grieving.'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed these findings at a later interview on Tuesday.

Duffy said: 'I believe the question is when this data is available in how did the FAA not understand. How did they not study the data to state "hey, this is a location, we are having near misses and if we don't change our ways we are gon na lose lives".'

He included: 'That wasn't done, perhaps there was a concentrate on something aside from security.'

Duffy would later on included when questioned by a reporter about the near misses out on that the data had 'p *** ed him off'.

Pictured: Parts of the wreckage seen sitting in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 hit an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 people

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Investigators believe that the helicopter involved in the crash may have had unreliable altitude readings in the minutes before the crash.

The accident likely occurred at an elevation just under 300 feet, as the airplane came down towards the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limitation for that place.

On Tuesday American Airlines welcomed the report by the NTSB, saying: 'We're grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board's urgent security suggestions to limit helicopter traffic near DCA and for its extensive investigation.

'We will continue to coordinate carefully with PSA Airlines as it complies as an investigative celebration member.'

The helicopter pilots may have also missed out on part of another interaction, when the tower stated the jet was turning toward a different runway, Homendy said last month.

The helicopter was on a 'check' flight that night where the pilot was going through an annual test and a test on utilizing night vision goggles, Homendy said.

Investigators believe the crew was wearing night vision goggles throughout the flight.

The Army has said the Black Hawk team was highly experienced, and accustomed to the congested skies around the nation ´ s capital.

At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was concurrently monitoring both the helicopter and aircraft traffic.

Those jobs are normally managed in between two people from 10am until 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New York Times.

Those tasks are normally managed between two individuals from 10am up until 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance video footage drawn from inside the airport captured the minute the 2 collided in midair

At the time of the collision, a single air traffic controller was concurrently keeping an eye on both the helicopter and plane traffic. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen here

After 9:30 pm the tasks are typically combined and left to one individual as the airport sees less traffic later in the night.

A manager apparently chose to integrate those tasks before the arranged cutoff time nevertheless, and allowed one air traffic controller to leave work early.

The FAA report stated that staffing configuration 'was not regular for the time of day and volume of traffic'.

Reagan National has been understaffed for several years, with just 19 fully licensed controllers since September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan sent to Congress.

The situation appeared to have enhanced ever since, as a source informed CNN the Reagan National control tower was 85 percent staffed with 24 of 28 positions filled.

Chronic understaffing at air traffic control service towers is absolutely nothing brand-new, with well-known causes consisting of high turnover and budget cuts.

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In order to fill the spaces, controllers are frequently asked to work 10-hour days, six days a week.

After the release of the report, former Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo deemed the findings as 'uncommon'.

She stated: 'This NTSB action is highly uncommon. The release of an emergency situation recommendation asking for the FAA take instant action, before the conclusion of the NTSB examination is rare.'

The two aircraft had clashed in a huge fireball that was noticeable on dashcams of cars driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

Less than a month later on, on February 17, a Delta guest airplane crashed-landed upside down in chaotic scenes at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada.

Miraculously, everybody on board endured after being suspended upside-down by their seat belts for several minutes up until they tentatively started leaving.

The plane had actually been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport with 76 guests and four crew members on board.

Some 21 individuals were required to the medical facility for treatment to minor injuries, and Delta has actually offered everyone a no-strings $30,000 payout in payment.

And the airplane carnage is ongoing - on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a car park of a suburban Pennsylvania retirement community.

Dramatic video revealed the Beechcraft A36TC erupt in flames in the car park of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five people were hurried to health center.

Medics, ambulances, and emergency lorries rushed to the scene in Lancaster County as flames swallowed up the airplane and nearby automobiles.

The aircraft took off as arranged on Sunday afternoon, but quickly asked for to land back on the tarmac due to the fact that its door had opened.

American Airlines