NTSB begins 3-day probe of fatal DC plane crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is commencing a three-day inquiry into the tragic airplane crash that happened in January in Washington, D.C. The accident involved an Army helicopter and an American Airlines plane and resulted in the loss of 67 lives. The crash report suggests that a displaced antenna led military controllers to lose contact with the Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport. During the hearing, the NTSB is set to question witnesses and investigators regarding the actions of entities such as the Federal Aviation Administration, air traffic controllers, and the Army. It is still premature for the NTSB to definitively determine the cause of the catastrophic event. Usually, air traffic control operations at Reagan National Airport involve two operators on duty; however, on the day of the tragedy, the responsibilities were combined, leaving one person to manage both helicopter and plane traffic. Although normally there is only one controller after 9:30 PM, a supervisor permitted one to leave early on that fateful night when the midair collision occurred shortly before 9:00 PM. Despite the combination of positions, it is explained that this practice is regular when controllers need to take breaks or if there is low air traffic volume.