The United States government has formally acknowledged that failures by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the US Army contributed to the deadliest aviation disaster on American soil in over two decades.
Government Accepts Partial Liability
In an official court filing on Wednesday, 17 December 2025, the US admitted partial liability for the catastrophic mid-air collision near Washington D.C. The crash between an American Airlines jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter in January claimed 67 lives.
The filing was a response to the first lawsuit brought by the family of one of the victims, Casey Crafton. It states that the government is partly responsible because an air traffic controller violated procedures on when to rely on pilots to maintain visual separation that night.
Furthermore, the document said Army helicopter pilots failed "to maintain vigilance so as to see and avoid" the passenger jet. While the filing suggests other parties, including the jet's pilots and the airlines, may also share blame, this marks a significant admission from the state.
Details of the January Tragedy
The collision occurred as the American Airlines jet, operated by PSA Airlines, was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport in northern Virginia. The helicopter apparently flew into the airliner's path over the Potomac River, just across from Washington D.C.
Sixty passengers and four crew members were on the commercial flight, while three soldiers were aboard the Black Hawk. In the aftermath, rescue teams pulled at least 28 bodies from the river.
Robert Clifford, attorney for the Crafton family, stated the government's admission confirms "the Army's responsibility for the needless loss of life." He added that it also recognises the FAA failed to follow control procedures, while rightly noting the two airlines contributed.
Investigation Uncovers Systemic Issues
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which will release its full report early next year, has already highlighted several critical factors. Investigators found the helicopter was flying too high on a route that provided inadequate separation from planes using the airport's secondary runway.
Alarmingly, the board noted the FAA failed to recognise persistent dangers around the busy airport, despite 85 near misses recorded in the three years preceding the crash.
Transcripts reveal that, moments before impact, the controller twice asked the helicopter pilots if they had the jet in sight. The pilots affirmed they did and requested visual separation clearance, a practice the FAA has since discontinued.
During NTSB hearings, FAA officials conceded controllers at Reagan National had become overly reliant on visual separation. Witnesses also raised serious concerns about the helicopter crew's ability to spot the airliner effectively while using night vision goggles.
American Airlines and PSA Airlines, also named in the lawsuit, have filed motions to dismiss the case against them.
