NTSB: Conflicting Altimeter Data Retrieved After Midair Collision Near Washington

The control tower data for the Black Hawk helicopter have revealed a significant discrepancy in altitude readings, investigators say.

A helicopter flies near the crash site of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after the plane crashed on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Va., on Jan. 30, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Investigators have found conflicting altimeter readings from the control tower data of the Black Hawk military helicopter and the passenger jet that collided over Washington on Jan. 29.

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials told reporters on Feb. 1 that preliminary altimeter data do not match the events on the night of the deadly accident.