Army report finds layered failures before fatal 2025 midair collision over Washington

A U.S. Army investigation into the January 2025 midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a commercial passenger jet found breakdowns across all layers of conflict management, according to the report. The crash killed 67 people, the deadliest accident in U.S. national airspace in decades.

The report, completed in May, was conducted separately from the National Transportation Safety Board's broader investigation. It points to systemic failures in structural, procedural and technical risk mitigation, and assigns some blame to the FAA and air traffic control.

The 50-page document is partially redacted. It does not name Army decision makers responsible for safety issues, nor does it indicate disciplinary action against leaders.

Families of some of the 67 victims had pressed for the report to be made public. According to the Army, the investigating officer, Lieutenant General Michael C. McCurry, made more than 30 recommendations and endorsed all eight recommendations the NTSB sent to the service. The Army said the NTSB wrote last week that it was satisfied with progress on seven of those eight.

In a statement, the Army said it would not waver in its commitment to aviation safety and would continue to share its progress as it verifies that the investigation's recommendations are carried out. Some recommendations have been addressed, the branch said, while others remain in progress.

The FAA and Congress are also working through safety issues identified after the collision, with what the source describes as mixed results. Families of the victims have criticised what they see as a slow response and have called for immediate action to prevent another disaster.