Calls for Enhanced Aircraft Safety Systems Intensify After Deadly Collision

Fri Feb 13 2026 04:35:38 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Families of victims from a tragic airliner and helicopter collision near Washington, D.C., argue for the installation of advanced locator systems, which may have prevented the disaster.

The Senate Commerce Committee is set to hear recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board for mandatory installation of advanced Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast systems in aircraft. Key senators and families of the crash victims believe these systems could have prevented the collision that claimed 67 lives last year. While legislation has been approved by the Senate, its progress in the House remains uncertain due to cost concerns associated with upgrades for airlines.

Survivors and families of victims from the tragic collision of an airliner and an Army helicopter in Washington, D.C., are urging Congress to implement advanced locator systems that aviation experts have recommended for nearly two decades. Key senators, alongside these families, argue that if the recommended Aircraft Locator Systems had been required, the tragic event that took 67 lives could have been averted.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has been advocating since 2008 for mandatory installation of both broadcasting and receiving systems in aircraft operating around busy airports to enhance safety. Currently, only devices that broadcast location are required, which many consider insufficient.

The devastating incident on January 29, 2025, resulted in the deaths of all onboard the American Airlines jet and a military Black Hawk helicopter, including 28 members of the figure skating community. According to testimonies from victims’ families and advocates, the situational awareness provided by these systems may have allowed pilots to avoid the collision.

Data indicates that had the aircraft been equipped with the receiving system, the pilots would have received almost a minute of advance warning regarding the helicopter's position. However, the implementation of such advanced systems faces hurdles, primarily surrounding the costs associated with retrofitting existing aircraft.

While the Senate has unanimously passed legislation that requires installation of both types of systems, momentum in the House seems hindered by concerns regarding the financial burden on regional airlines and small aircraft operators. Even so, pilots of smaller planes have been utilizing affordable portable devices, raising questions about the financial implications for larger aircraft.

Those advocating for the legislation argue that the safety of human lives should outweigh the costs involved. In a poignant plea, one family member noted that improved safety measures could have saved the lives of 67 individuals, including their loved ones.

As discussions continue around necessary safety changes in light of this tragedy, victims’ families remain hopeful that the proposed measures will be enacted to prevent future disasters in aviation.