House Oversight Committee launches investigation into Potomac River plane crash

The House Oversight Committee is examining the military’s use of airspace near Washington following the deadly midair collision over the Potomac River in January, which is already under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Jan. 29 crash between an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter killed all 67 people on board both aircraft. NTSB investigators said the radio altitude of the helicopter when it collided with the American Airlines flight was 278 feet, above the maximum 200 feet helicopters are permitted to be at on the route it was flying on.