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The US government has admitted that the military and air traffic controllers
made errors in the January 29 collision between a military helicopter and an
American Airlines plane near Washington, The Washington Post reports.
 
The plane crash over the Potomac River near Washington International Airport
killed 67 people. It was the deadliest aviation accident in the US in two
decades.
 
In a court filing, the government stated that the military Black Hawk
helicopter involved in the collision had problems with its barometric
altimeter. This could indicate an altitude that could deviate 20 to 30 meters
from the actual altitude, a problem that was already known. As a result, the
crew had failed to see and avoid the American Airlines plane.
 
The government also admitted that air traffic controllers at Reagan National
Airport had failed to warn the aircraft of the approaching helicopter.
 
In the court filing, the government also admitted liability for the collision.
This allows the families of the victims to obtain a financial settlement.

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