Folks, I’m reading this article about a deadly midair collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet, and I’ve got to say, it’s a real page-turner. The US Army report on the collision is finally public, after months of pressure from the families of the passengers killed in the accident. The report, which was first reported by The Washington Post, details a series of systemic failures that led to the deaths of 67 people on the two aircraft. I mean, you can’t help but wonder how this kind of thing happens.
The report summarizes the internal military investigation that coincided with the National Transportation Safety Board’s public probe completed earlier this year. Army investigator Lt. General Michael McCurry found that the helicopter crew was qualified and the Black Hawk didn’t have a mechanical failure, but “broken radio communications, instrumentation inaccuracies, intense urban lighting while operating under night vision goggles, and gusty winds with turbulence” made it hard to see and stay away from the American Airlines regional jet. It’s like a perfect storm of mistakes.
The report also mentions that “simultaneously, the layers of structural, procedural and technical risk mitigation failed to prevent a collision.” That’s a fancy way of saying that a lot of things went wrong at the same time. The report details recommendations the Army made to prevent a similar accident from happening again, but it doesn’t assign individual responsibility or detail any disciplinary actions. I guess that’s just the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.
The families of the victims are calling for accountability, and I don’t blame them. Tim Lilley, whose son Sam was the first officer flying American Airlines Flight 5342, said “recommendations for change are important, but they are not a substitute for accountability.” He’s right, of course. The Army owes the families and the American public a full accounting of how these risks were allowed to persist.
One of the recommendations made by the report is to use anti-collision systems, called ADS-B, on Army aircraft. The Black Hawk was not transmitting its location on the night of the collision, investigators found. It’s a no-brainer, really. The Army’s report called for transmitting data, called ADS-B Out, when flying near Washington, DC, and receiving data, called ADS-B In, when flying in busy urban environments.
The families are calling for the systems to be implemented in all aircraft, and I think that’s a great idea. Two competing bills have stalled in Congress – one passed by the House and the other by the Senate – that would require the systems. The families want the measures to be combined, and the reconciled bill approved by both bodies. It’s time for Congress to get its act together and pass some meaningful legislation.
As the Families of Flight 5342 said in a statement, “we have waited long enough.” They’re right, of course. It’s time for some real change to happen. I’ll be keeping an eye on this story, that’s for sure. In the meantime, I’m just going to sit here and shake my head at the whole thing. Somewhere in Washington, someone is probably thinking, “how did we let this happen?” And the answer is, it’s complicated. But one thing’s for sure, it’s time for some accountability and some real change. 🙄
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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