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WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — The National Transportation Safety Board released new surveillance footage of the deadly midair collision over Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people in January.
The video was released Wednesday as NTSB board members opened a three-day hearing that aims to look into what caused the Jan. 29 crash between an American Airlines passenger jet and a military Black Hawk helicopter.
The board viewed a video animation showing the path of the helicopter and airliner leading up to the collision. It showed how the helicopter flew above the 200-foot altitude limit before colliding with the plane.
Investigators on Wednesday said the flight data recorder showed the helicopter was flying 80 to 100 feet higher than was indicated by the barometric altimeter, which pilots rely on to determine altitude. The NTSB conducted tests on three other helicopters from the same unit during a flight over the same area and found similar discrepancies.
Previously disclosed air traffic control audio showed the helicopter pilot telling the controller twice that they saw the airplane and would avoid it. The presentation ended with surveillance video showing the helicopter colliding with the plane in a fiery crash.
Families of victims who were in attendance at the hearing broke down in tears during the final moments of the 11-minute footage.
Investigations have shown the FAA failed to recognize a troubling history of 85 near misses around Reagan Airport in the years before the collision, and that the Army’s helicopters routinely flew around the nation’s capital with a key piece of locating equipment turned off.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Author: Taylor Delandro
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