Altimeter failure eyed in Washington air disaster inquiry
An investigation is ongoing into the causes of the collision between a passenger plane and a military helicopter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. According to investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), an altimeter failure in the military Black Hawk may have contributed to the tragedy.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy reported that the collision occurred at an altitude of 278 feet, while the helicopter should not have exceeded 200 feet. She noted, it is unclear whether the altimeters on the military aircraft provided the pilots with the correct measurement.
Homendy added that investigators "are seeing conflicting information in the data" obtained from the flight recorders and other evidence. The military helicopter's pilots might not have fully heard some of the radio messages sent to them by air traffic controllers.
Homendy stated that the crew of the American Airlines plane saw the helicopter about a second or two before the collision. The pilots raised the plane's nose by about nine degrees just before the collision, but it was a delayed action.
Air disaster in Washington. No survivors
At the end of January, a passenger plane flying from Kansas collided with a military helicopter conducting a training flight. The incident happened just before reaching the tarmac at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
There were 60 passengers and 4 crew members on board the American Airlines plane. In the helicopter, there were three soldiers. Both aircraft fell into the Potomac River, breaking into many parts. No one survived.
