A briefing by the NTSB and FAA revealed that the ADS-B transponder in the Black Hawk helicopter involved in a collision with a passenger plane near Ronald Reagan Airport was deactivated. This failure contributed to the tragic incident that resulted in 67 fatalities. The helicopter was also found to be flying at an unsafe altitude.
Following a briefing by the National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB ) and Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) to Senators on Thursday, it appears that a crucial safety system in the Black Hawk helicopter involved in the collision with a passenger plane near Washington's Ronald Reagan Airport was deactivated, tragically resulting in 67 fatalities. Senator Ted Cruz, chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, organized the bipartisan member-level briefing. Cruz disclosed to reporters that the U.
S. Army helicopter had its automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) transponder switched off. 'This was a training mission, so there was no compelling national security reason for ADS-B to be turned off,' Cruz stated after the briefing.According to the NTSB, the helicopter was operating at an excessive altitude. Flight traffic data obtained by the NTSB confirms that the helicopter was flying at 300 feet according to the air traffic control display, which is 100 feet higher than the permissible altitude for the nation's capital. ADS-B is advanced technology that facilitates the tracking of aircraft location, and according to Cruz, it offers greater accuracy than radar systems. As of now, Ronald Reagan National Airport is experiencing a reduction in flight departures, with 26 flights taking off per hour compared to the previous 28. An FAA Advisory issued recently prohibits helicopters from operating in the airspace designated for civilian aircraft around Ronald Reagan National Airport until late February
Aviation Safety Helicopter Collision Ronald Reagan Airport ADS-B NTSB FAA
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