The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) claimed that the crew in the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport did not hear a message instructing them to “pass behind the” regional jet.
During a press briefing on Friday, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy revealed that the crew on the Black Hawk helicopter never heard the instructs to pass behind the plane “because the helicopter’s microphone key was depressed right then,” according to NBC4 Washington.
“At 8:47:42 or 17 seconds before impact, a radio transmission from the tower was audible on both CVR’s directing the Blackhawk to pass behind the CRJ,” Homendy said. “CVR data from the Blackhawk indicated that the portion of the transmission that stated, ‘Pass behind the’ may not have been received by the Blackhawk…
