Families of Potomac midair collision victims urge Congress to pass safety reforms

Families of the 67 people killed in the January 2025 midair collision over the Potomac River gathered outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday to urge Congress to pass air safety legislation. The crash, which involved an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, remains one of the deadliest U.S. aviation disasters since 2001.

Victims included 28 members of the figure skating community. Lawmakers and the head of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) joined the families in demanding action. While the Senate unanimously passed the ROTOR Act last year, the House failed to approve the legislation earlier this year, falling short of the required two-thirds majority.

The proposed legislation incorporates NTSB recommendations, such as requiring ADS-B In equipment to provide pilots with real-time location data of nearby aircraft. The NTSB noted that such equipment could have provided pilots with critical warning time during the collision. Although the FAA has implemented some restrictions regarding helicopter traffic near Reagan National Airport, the NTSB reports it remains unsatisfied with the agency's response to a third of its safety recommendations.