Senate aviation subcommittee probes DCA midair collision; NTSB calls for Route 4 restrictions and FAA moves to require ADS‑B out at Reagan National

The Subcommittee on Aviation and Space of the Senate Commerce Committee held a hearing to review the National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary report on the Jan. 29 midair collision over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed 67 people.

The NTSB’s preliminary report and supporting FAA data showed thousands of close‑proximity events between helicopters and commercial aircraft at DCA, and the board recommended immediate restrictions on a portion of Helicopter Route 4. The hearing focused on why the risks were not addressed earlier, what the agencies have done since the collision, and what additional steps Congress or the agencies should take to prevent a recurrence.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy told the subcommittee that NTSB analysis of FAA surveillance data covering October 2021 through December 2024 found more than 15,000 close‑proximity events between helicopters and commercial aircraft at DCA and 85 events during that period in which vertical separation was less than 200 feet. She said the agency determined that separation on Route 4 between Haines Point and the Wilson Bridge is “insufficient and pose[s] an intolerable risk to aviation safety” and recommended the FAA prohibit operations on that segment when Runways 15 or 33 are used for arrivals or departures. Homendy also said the NTSB issued two urgent safety recommendations and that…