Recent ground-based radar data has revealed that an Army helicopter involved in a fatal midair collision with American Airlines Flight 5342 was flying above the designated altitude, resulting in the loss of all 67 lives on board both aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) disclosed that the helicopter was flying at approximately 300 feet, exceeding the permitted altitude of 200 feet for its training mission in a dedicated helicopter route near Reagan National Airport.
In response to the accident, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has suspended the use of most helicopter routes. The NTSB is currently collecting data to determine the exact altitude of the helicopter at the time of the collision, pending the recovery of the wreckage from the Potomac River.
