The US government has accepted liability this week for the mid-air collision between an Army helicopter and a jet in Washington, DC, which resulted in the death of 67 individuals earlier this year, as per court documents.
“The United States acknowledges that it had a duty of care to the Plaintiffs, which it breached, leading to the tragic accident on January 29, 2025,” the Justice Department stated in a court filing for a federal lawsuit filed by the family of victim Casey Crafton on Wednesday.
According to the 209-page filing, Army pilots flying the Black Hawk helicopter on January 29 failed to maintain proper vigilance and safe visual separation with an American Airlines jet, resulting in the fatal collision over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The three-soldier crew also failed to comply with altitude restrictions, the document further revealed.
“The Army crew negligently deviated off the flight route towards the center of the Potomac River at too high an altitude,” the filing stated.
The filing also acknowledged that the Federal Aviation Administration and the US Army had access to data and reports showing repeated near-collisions and instances where aircraft came into close proximity at the DC airport.
The collision, which claimed 67 lives, including all individuals aboard American Eagle Flight 5342, marks the deadliest commercial crash on US soil in over two decades.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to release its report on the cause of the crash early next year.
Robert Clifford, one of the attorneys for the family of Crafton, stated to the Associated Press that the government acknowledged “the Army’s responsibility for the needless loss of life.”
He also mentioned that the filing highlighted the FAA’s failure to adhere to air traffic control procedures while acknowledging others, including American Airlines and PSA Airlines, who also played a role in the fatalities.
The families of the victims continue to mourn the tragic loss of life caused by this incident,” he added.
The FAA, US Army, and American Airlines did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
With Post wires
