Timmons & Subramanyam Seek Answers, Mitigation Measures to Enhance Washington Airspace Safety

WASHINGTON—Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs Chairman William Timmons (R-S.C.) and Ranking Member Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) are opening an investigation into the U.S. military’s use of airspace in the National Capital Region. This letter follows the mid-air collision of a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) on January 29, 2025, which claimed the lives of sixty-seven people. In a letter to U.S. Department of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the lawmakers request a member-level briefing on the circumstances surrounding the event and what measures the U.S. military are taking to ensure calamities of this nature do not occur in the future.

“Washington, D.C.’s airspace is among the most complex and heavily regulated in the nation. DCA operates within the tightly controlled Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ), making it one of the busiest and most sensitive airspaces in the country,” wrote the lawmakers. “DoD plays a critical role in managing and securing this airspace, with military aircraft frequently conducting operations in and around the National Capital Region.”

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there have been thirty near-midair collisions since 1987 around DCA, with one third of those incidents involving military aircraft and seven including helicopters. Initial reports of the crash indicated a potential miscommunication between DCA air traffic control and pilots of the UH-60 when they were instructed to avoid the incoming Canadair Regional Jet 700 (CRJ). Additionally, the crew of the UH-60 reportedly were wearing night vision goggles which may have impaired the pilots’ peripheral vision.

“As authorities continue to assess the circumstances of the incident, it will be critical to identify any contributing factors and ensure mitigation measures are implemented to enhance future airspace safety,” continued the lawmakers. “To assist with the Committee’s oversight of this matter, we request a Member-level briefing as soon as possible but no later than April 1, 2025.”

Read the letter to Secretary Hegseth here.