A Virginia lawmaker is urging Congress to require the U.S. Army inspector general to audit the January 29 collision between a military helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet that killed 67 people.
Representative Don Beyer said the Army inspector general has so far declined to investigate the incident, despite a bipartisan request from two dozen senators in June.
Beyer plans to seek an audit requirement as part of an annual Pentagon funding bill. Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz has also proposed legislation mandating an Army review of aviation safety practices and systemic failures that may have contributed to the deadliest U.S. aviation crash in over two decades.
At a forum near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Beyer and Senator Mark Warner of Virginia highlighted safety concerns, citing congestion and thousands of near-miss incidents.
Beyer noted that the airport, designed for 14 million passengers a year, handled 26 million in 2024.
The FAA has faced criticism for permitting exemptions to a key safety system for military aircraft and for failing to act on near-miss reports before the collision.
In August, the U.S. Transportation Department Office of Inspector General opened an audit into the FAA’s airspace management.
Following continued safety concerns, including a May 1 near-miss involving Army helicopters near the Pentagon, lawmakers including Senator Maria Cantwell have called on the Army inspector general to launch its own independent audit.
