NTSB Claims Crew in Black Hawk Helicopter Did Not Hear Instructions to Pass Behind Plane

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) claimed that the crew in the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport did not hear a message instructing them to “pass behind the” regional jet.

During a press briefing on Friday, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy revealed that the crew on the Black Hawk helicopter never heard the instructs to pass behind the plane “because the helicopter’s microphone key was depressed right then,” according to NBC4 Washington.

“At 8:47:42 or 17 seconds before impact, a radio transmission from the tower was audible on both CVR’s directing the Blackhawk to pass behind the CRJ,” Homendy said. “CVR data from the Blackhawk indicated that the portion of the transmission that stated, ‘Pass behind the’ may not have been received by the Blackhawk crew.”

“Transmission was stepped on by a point eight second mic key from the Black Hawk,” Homendy continued. “The Black Hawk was keying the mic to communicate with ATC.”

Homendy added that prior to the collision, the “pilot being tested” said that the Black Hawk was at 300 feet, while the instructor pilot stated the Black Hawk was at 400 feet, and acknowledged that they did not “know why there was a discrepancy” between the two numbers, according to the outlet.

“At this time we don’t know why there was a discrepancy between the two,” Homendy stated.

As a result of the collision between the Black Hawk helicopter and the regional jet, 67 people were reported to be dead. American Airlines Flight 5342 had 60 passengers and four crew members, while the Black Hawk had three soldiers on board.

Reports have claimed that there was one air traffic control (ATC) worker who was working two different tower positions at the time of the collision.