The midair collision between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington D.C. resulted in the deaths of all 67 people on both aircraft, making it the deadliest U.S. aviation accident in decades. Investigators revealed that the Black Hawk's altimeter may have been defective, potentially misleading the pilots about their altitude. At the time of the crash, the helicopter was at 278 feet despite regulations prohibiting flights above 200 feet in that area. The accuracy of barometric altimeters has been questioned, with discrepancies deemed common among pilots.
The Army helicopter's altimeter may have been wrong and that wasn't unusual. Investigators noted that the Black Hawk pilots might not have been aware of their actual altitude, raising concerns about the accuracy of barometric altimeters. This discrepancy, often by around 80 feet, was common and not seen as alarming, impacting flight safety assessments and pilot awareness in critical situations.
On the night of the collision, the Black Hawk was conducting a training mission near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, while an American Airlines regional jet was on an approach for landing. Both crafts collided at about 8:48 p.m. ET, leading to the tragic deaths of all 67 individuals on board both aircraft, marking it as the deadliest U.S. aviation accident in decades.
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