Federal detectives have raised concerns of a potential for another fatal plane crash at Reagan National Airport, after a midair crash previously this year eliminated 67.

The National Transportation Safety Board gave an update on their examination into the cause of the disaster which took place on January 29 in Washington.

An American Airlines jetliner and a Black Hawk military helicopter clashed in midair over the Potomac River, killing everyone on board both airplanes.

As part of an initial report released on Tuesday, private investigators raised issues of more accidents involving helicopters at the airport.

NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy stated: 'We remain concerned about the significant potential for future mid-air collision at DCA.'

Her issues revolve around Transport Secretary Sean Duffy transferring to limit helicopter traffic around the area, however that is set to cease at the end of the month.

When cops, medical or presidential transportation helicopters should use the area civilian planes are stopped from remaining in the very same area.

Homendy said the NTSB is now recommending that the FAA discover a 'irreversible solution' for alternate paths for helicopters when 2 of the airport's runways are in usage.

Emergency systems react after a passenger aircraft hit a helicopter in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia

Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Bureau (NTSB) Jennifer Homendy speaks with reporters about the 29 January mid-air crash

It was likewise exposed on Tuesday that there was alerting check in the lead up to the lethal catastrophe.

Those penetrating the crash went through 944,179 operations in between October 2021 and December 2024.

It was uncovered that 15,214 'near-miss occasions' of aircrafts getting informs about helicopters being in close distance in between October 2021 and December 2024.

The NTSB also said that there were 85 cases where 2 aircraft where laterally divided by less than 1,500 feet, and a vertical separation of less than 200 feet.

Homendy added: 'That information from October 2021 through December 2024, (the FAA) might have utilized that information at any time to determine that we have a pattern here and a problem here, and looked at that route; that didn't take place, which is why we're acting today. But unfortunately, people lost lives, and enjoyed ones are grieving.'

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy knocked these findings at a later interview on Tuesday.

Duffy stated: 'I believe the concern is when this information can be found in how did the FAA not know. How did they not study the data to state "hey, this is a location, we are having near misses out on and if we do not change our ways we are gon na lose lives".'

He included: 'That wasn't done, perhaps there was a concentrate on something besides safety.'

Duffy would later on added when questioned by a reporter about the near misses that the data had 'p *** ed him off'.

Pictured: Parts of the wreckage seen sitting in the Potomac River after Flight 5342 clashed with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, eliminating 67 individuals

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Investigators think that the helicopter involved in the crash may have had unreliable altitude readings in the minutes before the crash.

The collision most likely took place at an altitude simply under 300 feet, as the airplane descended toward the chopper, which was above its 200-foot limit for that place.

On Tuesday American Airlines welcomed the report by the NTSB, saying: 'We're grateful for the National Transportation Safety Board's immediate safety recommendations to restrict helicopter traffic near DCA and for its thorough examination.

'We will continue to collaborate carefully with PSA Airlines as it cooperates as an investigative party member.'

The helicopter pilots might have likewise missed part of another interaction, when the tower said the jet was turning towards a different runway, Homendy said last month.

The helicopter was on a 'check' flight that night where the pilot was going through an annual test and a test on utilizing night vision goggles, Homendy said.

Investigators believe the crew was using night vision safety glasses throughout the flight.

The Army has said the Black Hawk crew was extremely experienced, and accustomed to the crowded skies around the country