{"id":2679042,"date":"2026-10-08T16:42:01","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T20:42:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/unpublished-army-report-on-deadly-helicopter-jet-crash-frustrates-victims-families-who-got-copy-early\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T16:47:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T20:47:46","slug":"unpublished-army-report-on-deadly-helicopter-jet-crash-frustrates-victims-families-who-got-copy-early","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/unpublished-army-report-on-deadly-helicopter-jet-crash-frustrates-victims-families-who-got-copy-early\/","title":{"rendered":"Unpublished Army Report on Deadly Helicopter-Jet Crash Frustrates Victims&#8217; Families Who Got Copy Early"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Funpublished-army-report-on-deadly-helicopter-jet-crash-frustrates-victims-families-who-got-copy-early%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2679042&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Families of those who died in the January 2025 midair collision involving an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines plane are upset over a recent Army report that highlights systemic issues but offers limited accountability. The incident resulted in 67 fatalities, with wreckage falling into the Potomac River. The report identified longstanding safety flaws, such as known inaccuracies in instrument readings-including altitude measurement errors caused by outdated equipment-and a lack of proper training and details-sharing about these risks. Families were disappointed with the heavily redacted report and are demanding an independent audit by the Army Inspector General, as previously requested by U.S. Senators. They emphasize the need for collision-avoidance technology and safety reforms to prevent similar tragedies in the future.The inquiry raised concerns about pilots&#8217; inability to accurately assess aircraft altitude and position in congested airspace, partly due to limitations of night-vision goggles and known instrument inaccuracies. families urge decisive action and openness to ensure accountability and improved safety measures.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Family members of those killed in a January 2025 crash in which an Army Black Hawk helicopter hit a civilian airliner are irked over a new report that lets leaders off the hook.<\/p>\n<p>Sixty-seven people died in the incident in which the helicopter and an American Airlines jet collided, with pieces of the wreckage falling into the frigid Potomac River.<\/p>\n<p>An Army report listed multiple long-standing issues that contributed to the disaster, but did not say whether anyone was punished, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/national-security\/2026\/10\/08\/army-report-cites-systemic-flaws-that-led-fatal-dca-midair-collision\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Washington Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>When families of those killed on American Airlines Flight 5342 were able to preview the report, they encountered vast sections of redacted text.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Army owes the families and the American public a full accounting of how these risks were allowed to persist, who was responsible for the decisions that allowed them to persist and what will be done to make sure this never happens again,\u201d Tim Lilley, a former Black Hawk pilot and commercial airline captain. His son, Sam Lilley,\u00a0was the first officer\u00a0on the doomed airliner.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe again call for the Army Inspector General to perform the independent audit\u00a0formally requested\u00a0by 24 U.S. Senators well over a year ago: it\u2019s time to do your job,\u201d a group comprised of family members of passengers who were killed said..<\/p>\n<p>The Post said the report \u201ccites the Army for not resolving flaws in instruments that were known to give inaccurate altitude readings on older Black Hawk models \u2014 including the helicopter involved in the collision \u2014 or ensuring that pilots were aware of the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The report also said that the Army did not collect information on close calls or provide training on the dangers of flying in D.C.\u2019s crowded airspace.<\/p>\n<p>The report noted that at times, military helicopters and civilian jets were as little as 75 feet apart.<\/p>\n<p>That matters a lot in this case, because older Black Hawk helicopters had barometric altimeters that could be off by 140 feet. Readings could be further skewed if a chopper was carrying extra fuel tanks, as was one the one that went down last January.<\/p>\n<p>On Jan. 29, 2025, the altimeter on the doomed helicopter said it was 200 feet above the Potomac when it was actually 278 feet in the air.<\/p>\n<p>A crash investigator faulted the report for redacting the Army\u2019s findings on the performance of the altimeter.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAir traffic controllers need to know that these crews may be seeing different variations than what they expect,\u201d the investigator said.<\/p>\n<p>The Army report further said the crew was likely using night-vision goggles \u201cunable to discern the aircraft lighting\u201d of the American Airlines plane from lights of objects on the ground.<\/p>\n<p>The report also said the distances were likely distorted by night vision, which could have led the crew to fixate on the wrong aircraft instead of the one it hit.<\/p>\n<p>Families called for safety reforms to be enacted, according to an Associated Press report posted by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.2news.com\/news\/national\/army-identifies-systemic-failures-behind-dc-midair-collision-and-calls-for-safety-fixes\/article_e4f29bb8-b7cc-5c6a-b0ef-0c3b9f5d26ff.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KTVN-TV<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a simple concept anyone can understand: aircraft should be able to see each other in the sky. The technology is proven. All that\u2019s required is the political will to do the right thing,\u201d the Families of Flight 5342 group said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have waited long enough. We waited for the NTSB. We waited for the Army. Both investigations are complete, and both make clear that collision-avoidance technology must be part of the solution. There is nothing left for Congress to wait for,\u201d they said.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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