Investigators have revealed that the Army helicopter crew involved in a fatal collision with an American Airlines plane may have been receiving inaccurate altitude readings in the moments leading up to the crash.
Additionally, officials suggest the soldiers may not have heard critical instructions from air traffic controllers directing them to maneuver behind the plane.
According to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair, a recording from the Black Hawk helicopter suggests an incomplete radio transmission may have left the crew unaware of their proper positioning before the crash, which resulted in 67 fatalities.
“The transmission was interrupted and ‘stepped on,’ meaning two transmissions occurred simultaneously, preventing the crew from hearing the instruction to pass behind the aircraft,” the NTSB chair explained during a press briefing.
Seventeen seconds before impact, a radio transmission from the control tower—audible on both cockpit voice recorders—directed the Black Hawk to move behind the CRJ aircraft. However, due to the interrupted communication, the helicopter crew may not have received or processed the instruction in time.
At the time of the incident, the helicopter was on a routine check flight, with the pilot undergoing an annual evaluation that included a test using night vision goggles.
Investigators have found no evidence that the helicopter crew intentionally deviated from their clearance. However, the fact that they were approaching the aircraft, requested visual separation, and received approval—only for the crash to occur 20 seconds later—raises serious concerns about whether the control tower could have foreseen the imminent danger.
The investigation remains ongoing as officials work to determine the full scope of contributing factors in this tragic accident.