On Monday, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) urged Congress to complete aviation safety legislation arising from the January 2025 midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The House and Senate passed separate measures, but lawmakers began their August recess without reaching agreement on a final bill. The NTSB called for Congress to reconcile the legislation and hold a vote when lawmakers return in September.
Competing Safety Bills
The Senate unanimously passed the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform (ROTOR) Act in December. The House approved its separate Airspace Location and Enhanced Risk Transparency (ALERT) Act in April. Both measures address safety issues identified after the collision, though lawmakers must reconcile differences between the bills before legislation can be sent to the president.
“Every day that passes without implementation of all 50 NTSB recommendations represents a continued and unacceptable risk to public safety,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said in Monday’s statement.
The agency previously objected to the original House bill because it did not fully adopt several recommendations, including an ADS-B In mandate for aircraft operating where ADS-B Out is required.
Collision-Avoidance Recommendations
The January 29, 2025, collision involved a PSA Airlines CRJ700 operating as American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army UH-60L Black Hawk. All 64 people aboard the PSA flight, along with the helicopter’s three crew members, were killed. The NTSB attributed the accident to systemic problems involving airspace design, FAA and Army safety oversight, air traffic control procedures and collision-avoidance technology.
The board issued 50 recommendations covering helicopter routes, aircraft separation, safety-management systems, data sharing and cockpit traffic alerts. NTSB simulations found that an ADS-B In system could have alerted the CRJ crew to the helicopter 59 seconds before the collision. The agency recommends requiring compatible cockpit traffic displays and audible alerts aboard civil and military aircraft operating in airspace subject to ADS-B Out requirements.
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