Washington Crash, Army Helicopter’s Tracking System Was Disabled , The biggest aviation disaster in 20 years , Senator Says

The U.S. Army helicopter involved in last week's deadly collision with a passenger jet over Washington had its tracking system disabled at the time of impact, according to Senator Ted Cruz. The Texas Republican, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, revealed the information after a classified briefing with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

The tracking system in question, known as Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), helps air traffic controllers monitor aircraft position, altitude, and speed in real time. Unlike radar, which has a slight delay, ADS-B enhances safety by providing immediate tracking data,
Cruz raised concerns over why the Black Hawk helicopter’s tracking system was turned off during its training mission, questioning whether it contributed to the catastrophic accident. The mid-air collision over the Potomac River involved an American Airlines regional jet and resulted in 67 fatalities, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in over two decades.

Investigators are now focusing on the absence of ADS-B data and its potential role in the crash. The incident has sparked renewed scrutiny of military and civilian aircraft coordination in shared airspace.