NTSB Says Both Pilots Had Difficulty Seeing Due To City Lights The National Transpiration Safety Board opened a 3-day hearing Tuesday to examine the January 2025 midair collision that killed 67 people, with investigators citing systemic failures across multiple organizations. “It will not be an easy day,” board member Todd Inman said. “There is no singular person to blame for this. These were systemic issues across multiple organizations.” Limited visibility from Washington’s city lights, windshield obstructions and a poorly designed helicopter route were among the key factors that contributed to the deadly mid-air collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines jet near Washington, D.C., last year.
