A key safety system was turned off on a US Army helicopter that collided with an American Airlines regional jet last week near Washington Reagan Airport, killing 67.
Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz told reporters the Black Hawk helicopter had turned off its automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B), which is permitted for military aircraft. “This was a training mission, so there was no compelling national security reason for ADS-B to be turned off,” Cruz said after a briefing from the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration.
In the deadliest US air disaster in more than 20 years, the aircraft collided last week, with both aircraft plunging into the Potomac River. The helicopter was flying about 100 feet over the maximum allowed for that route, the NTSB said earlier.
ADS-B is an advanced surveillance technology to track aircraft location. Cruz noted the helicopter had a transponder so it would appear on radar but ADS-B is significantly more accurate. Last week, Senator Maria Cantwell, the top Democrat on the committee, questioned why the FAA since 2018 has allowed military flights to fly with their installed ADS-B equipment off.
Cruz also said he had asked the FAA to conduct a review of helicopter routes near other congested airports. In the aftermath of the crash, the FAA has imposed significant restrictions on helicopter flights around Reagan National until at least late February and two of the lesser-used runways remain closed.
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