NTSB calls 3-day hearing into PSA Airlines-Black Hawk crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has initiated a three-day investigative hearing to examine the circumstances surrounding a tragic mid-air collision involving a flight operated by PSA Airlines and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter.

On January 29, 2025, this tragic incident resulted in the loss of 64 passengers on the American Eagle Bombardier CRJ700 and three crew members from the helicopter, as the aircraft collided over the Potomac River close to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).

The NTSB has announced that the hearing will take place from July 30 to August 1, 2025, featuring numerous witnesses who are expected to provide their testimonies.

This hearing will be conducted in the NTSB boardroom in Washington, D.C., and will be streamed live for public observation. Only NTSB board members, investigators, witnesses, and authorized parties can engage actively in the proceedings.

In a statement released on June 10, 2025, the NTSB emphasized, “The NTSB conducts investigative hearings to assist in gathering crucial information essential for determining the facts and circumstances surrounding transportation accidents or incidents under investigation.”

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy indicated on February 14, 2025, that 17 seconds prior to the collision, an air traffic control (ATC) message instructing the Black Hawk crew to navigate behind the PSA Airlines CRJ700 was audible on the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) of both aircraft.

However, data retrieved from the helicopter’s CVR suggests that the relevant part of this message, which directed them to “pass behind the,” may not have been effectively communicated to the Black Hawk crew.

The NTSB has also previously mentioned that the Black Hawk’s radio altitude at the moment of impact was recorded at 278 feet, exceeding the 200 feet limit designated for the area.

Another significant point expected to be addressed in the hearing is the absence of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) functionality on the Black Hawk at the time it collided with the passenger aircraft.