NTSB to determine cause of crash that claimed 67 lives near D.C. airport

The National Transportation Safety Board will be hosting its final meeting this Tuesday to review the midair collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet which resulted in the tragic loss of 67 lives nearly a year ago. During the meeting, the board will disclose their ruling on the most likely cause of the incident and make safety recommendations. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy shared with CBS News that the board has a clear understanding of what transpired during the collision, which will be thoroughly discussed on Tuesday, although they do not anticipate a single definitive cause. According to Homendy, the investigation uncovered a series of system failures that collectively led to the tragic outcome. As the investigation was extensive, it is expected that the final report will contain numerous findings and a detailed list of recommendations. The tragic event occurred a year ago when an Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers collided with the American Airlines plane carrying 60 passengers and four crew members near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., leading to both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River. This incident marked the deadliest plane crash in the U.S. since November 2001. In a recent court filing, the U.S. government acknowledged partial responsibility for the midair collision, attributing it to the Army Black Hawk helicopter crew's failure to maintain proper visual separation from the passenger jet.