The United States government has formally accepted responsibility for a catastrophic mid-air collision over Washington, D.C., agreeing to pay compensation to the families of the 67 people killed. The Department of Justice admitted the crash was a "wholly avoidable tragedy" caused by pilot error.
Admission of Fault and Legal Proceedings
In a significant court filing on 17 December 2025, the Department of Justice conceded that the US Army Black Hawk helicopter pilots breached their duty of care. The filing, a 209-page document, states the pilots' "failure to maintain vigilance" to see and avoid the passenger jet was a direct cause of the accident on 29 January 2025.
The DOJ's admission came in response to a lawsuit filed by Rachel Crafton, the wife of victim Casey Crafton, which accused the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Army, American Airlines, and its subsidiary PSA Airlines of systemic failures. Numerous other families have filed similar claims.
Details of the Catastrophic Collision
The disaster occurred as the American Airlines regional jet, operated by PSA Airlines, descended toward Ronald Reagan National Airport. The Army helicopter flew into its path, resulting in a collision that sent wreckage from both aircraft plunging into the Potomac River.
All 64 people on the passenger plane and the three crew members on the Black Hawk helicopter perished. In a grim recovery operation, rescuers later pulled 28 bodies from the river's icy waters.
While the US government has admitted liability, the legal filing suggests other parties may share blame, including the jet's pilots and the airlines. American Airlines and PSA Airlines have filed motions seeking dismissal from the case.
Systemic Failures and Ongoing Investigations
Attorney Robert Clifford, representing the Crafton family, said the filing acknowledges the Army's responsibility and the FAA's failure to follow proper air traffic control procedures. He added it also rightly notes that American Airlines and PSA Airlines contributed to the deaths.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is due to release its final report in early 2026. However, investigators have already highlighted critical factors:
- The helicopter was allegedly flying too high on a hazardous route, leaving minimal airspace for descending planes.
- An air traffic controller twice asked the helicopter pilots if they had the jet in sight; they confirmed they did and requested "visual separation approval."
- FAA officials have acknowledged controllers at Reagan Airport were overly reliant on visual separation, a practice now discontinued.
- The FAA failed to mitigate risks at the busy airport, despite 85 near misses in the three years preceding the crash.
A US Army spokesperson stated they understand the families' need for information and answers about measures to prevent future tragedies. The victims' families, as Clifford noted, remain anchored in profound grief.
