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Fatal Black Hawk Collision Reveals Critical Flight Failures

4/27/2025

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Summary

Story summary

On January 29, tragedy struck when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River, claiming the lives of everyone on board. A New York Times investigation uncovered a series of critical failures, highlighting the Black Hawk crew's dangerous mismanagement of "visual separation," a risky practice that bypasses air traffic control guidance.

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Story summary

On January 29, tragedy struck when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet over the Potomac River, claiming the lives of everyone on board. A New York Times investigation uncovered a series of critical failures, highlighting the Black Hawk crew's dangerous mismanagement of "visual separation," a risky practice that bypasses air traffic control guidance.