Collision Hearing Addresses False Altitude Readings

The National Transportation Safety Board heard Wednesday of a series of problems the pilots of an Army Black Hawk helicopter were dealing with before the fatal midair collision with an airliner over Ronald Reagan National Airport. The 10-hour session in Washington, the first of three days of hearings about the January crash that killed 67 people, included contentious exchanges among members of the board and representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration. There were indications reported of confusion in the helicopter cockpit and the control tower, the Washington Post reports. Army and FAA officials tried to sidestep responsibility at times, per the AP. Takeaways include:

• Altitude: A later analysis showed the Black Hawk's barometric altimeter was off by 80 to 130 feet, misinforming the Black Hawk crew. The difference could have led the crew to believe the helicopter was on a safer, lower path than it was, per the New York Times, when it actually was headed for American Airlines Flight 5342. A pilot instructor told the NTSB that there's no real standard on when to rely on barometric altimeter and that she also checks a radar altimeter on similar flights. "I would think most pilots would be cross-checking both in those conditions," Kylene Lewis said.
• Controller confusion: A pilot who had landed at National Airport that night, shortly before the collision, told investigators the air traffic controller was changing his mind on clearances and therefore was "not instilling a lot of confidence." Kevin Ashe, a PSA Airlines captain, said the controller "seemed a little bit … overloaded," per the Post. He said the controllers "do an awesome job" given the conditions but that "there's just so much traffic there now, you really have to be on your 'A' game."

• Communication difficulties: Cockpit recordings released Wednesday showed the helicopter pilots had trouble hearing and understanding transmissions from the control tower. "I definitely didn't catch what he said. I'm glad you did," Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, the flight instructor, told Capt. Rebecca Lobach after one transmission.
• Bright lights: The crew also referred to the bright lights they were dealing with in the area. "I can't get sucked in by that damn light," Eaves said at one point. "That light's really bright," Lobach answered. Investigators think they were wearing night vision goggles, which amplify light and can make distinguishing between light sources difficult in bright conditions.
• A look at the path: With relatives of the victims in the audience, the NTSB began by showing an 11-minute video animation demonstrating where the helicopter and the plane were before colliding, per the AP. It showed the helicopter flying above the altitude limit of 200 feet on the route along the Potomac River toward the airport.