New Rules Imposed After Last Year’s Deadly Midair Collision Will Be Made Permanent

The rules were imposed to increase safety around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after the deadliest plane crash on American soil since 2001.

Crews assess wreckage in the Potomac River after a midair collision killed all 67 people aboard a passenger jet and an Army helicopter, in Arlington, Va., on Jan. 30, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Temporary restrictions imposed last year on helicopters and powered-lift aircraft operating around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport will become permanent outside of “essential operations,” the Department of Transportation announced on Jan. 22.

The rules were formalized after an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 over the Potomac River on Jan. 29, 2025, killing all 67 people onboard both aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) implemented the restrictions to increase safety and prevent helicopters from sharing the congested airspace around the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.