Federal investigators have raised issues of a capacity for another lethal plane crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair accident previously this year eliminated 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board offered an update on their investigation into the reason for the catastrophe which took place on January 29 in Washington.

An American Airlines jetliner and a Black Hawk military helicopter collided in midair over the Potomac River, eliminating everybody on board both aircrafts.

As part of a preliminary report released on Tuesday, investigators raised concerns of more crashes including helicopters at the airport.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said: 'We remain worried about the significant capacity for future mid-air accident at DCA.'

Her issues focus on Transport Secretary Sean Duffy transferring to limit helicopter traffic around the location, but that is set to cease at the end of the month.

When authorities, medical or presidential transport helicopters should use the space civilian planes are stopped from remaining in the exact same location.

Homendy stated the NTSB is now advising that the FAA discover a 'irreversible solution' for detours for helicopters when 2 of the airport's runways remain in use.

Emergency units react after a passenger airplane clashed with a helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia

Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) Jennifer Homendy speaks to press reporters about the 29 January mid-air crash

It was also exposed on Tuesday that there was cautioning check in the lead up to the fatal catastrophe.

Those penetrating the crash went through 944,179 operations between October 2021 and December 2024.

It was discovered that 15,214 'near-miss events' of planes getting notifies about helicopters being in close distance between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB also said that there were 85 cases where 2 aircraft where laterally divided by less than 1,500 feet, and a vertical separation of less than 200 feet.

Homendy added: 'That information from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) could have used that information any time to figure out that we have a pattern here and an issue here, and took a look at that path; that didn't take place, which is why we're doing something about it today. But regrettably, individuals lost lives, and loved ones are grieving.'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy slammed these findings at a later interview on Tuesday.

Duffy said: 'I believe the concern is when this information is available in how did the FAA not understand. How did they not study the data to state "hey, this is a location, we are having near misses out on and if we don't alter our ways we are gon na lose lives".'

He included: 'That wasn't done, possibly there was a concentrate on something other than safety.'

Duffy would later on included when questioned by a press reporter about the near misses that the data had 'p *** ed him off'.

Pictured: Parts of the wreckage seen sitting in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 hit an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, killing 67 people

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Investigators think that the helicopter associated with the crash may have had incorrect elevation readings in the minutes before the crash.

The crash most likely occurred at an altitude just under 300 feet, as the plane descended towards the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limitation for that location.

On Tuesday American Airlines welcomed the report by the NTSB, saying: 'We're grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board's immediate safety suggestions to restrict helicopter traffic near DCA and for its thorough examination.

'We will continue to coordinate closely with PSA Airlines as it works together as an investigative party member.'

The helicopter pilots may have also missed part of another communication, when the tower said the jet was turning toward a different runway, Homendy stated last month.

The helicopter was on a 'check' flight that night where the pilot was undergoing a yearly test and a test on utilizing night vision goggles, Homendy said.

Investigators think the team was wearing night vision goggles throughout the flight.

The Army has said the Black Hawk crew was extremely experienced, and accustomed to the congested skies around the nation ´ s capital.

At the time of the accident, a single air traffic controller was simultaneously monitoring both the helicopter and aircraft traffic.

Those jobs are usually dealt with between two individuals from 10am up until 9:30 pm, according to an early FAA report seen by The New york city Times.

Those tasks are usually handled between 2 individuals from 10am up until 9:30 pm, according to the report.

Surveillance video taken from inside the airport caught the minute the 2 collided in midair

At the time of the crash, a single air traffic controller was simultaneously monitoring both the helicopter and airplane traffic. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is seen here

After 9:30 pm the duties are usually integrated and delegated one person as the airport sees less traffic later in the night.

A supervisor reportedly decided to integrate those tasks before the set up cutoff time nevertheless, and allowed one air traffic controller to leave work early.

The FAA report stated that staffing configuration 'was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic'.

Reagan National has actually been understaffed for several years, with just 19 totally certified controllers since September 2023 - well below the target of 30 - according to the most recent Air Traffic Controller Workforce Plan sent to Congress.

The scenario appeared to have enhanced because then, as a source told CNN the Reagan National control tower was 85 percent staffed with 24 of 28 positions filled.

Chronic understaffing at air traffic control towers is absolutely nothing new, with well-known causes consisting of high turnover and budget cuts.

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In order to fill the spaces, controllers are regularly asked to work 10-hour days, 6 days a week.

After the release of the report, previous Inspector General of the US Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo considered the findings as 'uncommon'.

She stated: 'This NTSB action is highly uncommon. The release of an emergency situation suggestion requesting the FAA take instant action, before the completion of the NTSB examination is rare.'

The two aircraft had actually collided in a huge fireball that showed up on dashcams of cars driving on highways that snake around the airport, before plunging into the river.

Less than a month later on, on February 17, a Delta traveler aircraft crashed-landed upside down in disorderly scenes at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada.

Miraculously, everyone on board made it through after being suspended upside-down by their seatbelts for numerous minutes until they tentatively started evacuating.

The airplane had been heading to Toronto from Minneapolis - Saint Paul International Airport with 76 guests and four team members on board.

Some 21 people were taken to the health center for treatment to minor injuries, and Delta has actually provided each individual a no-strings $30,000 payout in payment.

And the plane carnage is continuous - on Sunday, yet another jet crash-landed, this time in a parking lot of a rural Pennsylvania retirement community.

Dramatic video footage showed the Beechcraft A36TC emerge in flames in the parking lot of Brethren Village in Manheim Township. Five people were rushed to healthcare facility.

Medics, ambulances, and emergency lorries rushed to the scene in Lancaster County as flames swallowed up the plane and neighboring cars.

The plane took off as arranged on Sunday afternoon, but quickly asked for to land back on the tarmac since its door had opened.

American Airlines