US confirms pilot error in fatal DC midair crash

The US government has admitted that pilot error and failures by an air traffic controller contributed to a collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a civilian aircraft over the Potomac River, near Washington, DC, this January, killing 67.

The US Justice Department made the admission in court documents filed Wednesday with a US District Court in Washington as part of a civil suit brought earlier this year by the family of a passenger who died on American Eagle Flight 5342.

All 67 people died in the midair collision after the Army crew told air traffic controllers that they would maintain "visual separation" from Flight 5342 as it approached landing at National Airport.

"The United States admits pilots flying PAT25 (Priority Air Transport 25 helicopter) failed to maintain proper and safe visual separation," the court filing said.

The US government also acknowledged in the lawsuit that a tower air traffic controller "did not comply" with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) order governing air traffic control procedure.

Despite admitting the Black Hawk crew's actions were a direct cause of the crash, the department continued to dispute liability for air traffic controllers, while commercial airlines are seeking dismissal of the lawsuit and have made no similar admissions.

"The United States admits that it owed a duty of care to Plaintiffs, which it breached," the filing also said, enabling the families to seek damages.