A U.S. Army helicopter involved in a deadly collision with an American Airlines regional jet near Washington’s Reagan Airport had its key safety system, ADS-B, turned off, Reuters reports. The crash, which killed 67 people, is the deadliest U.S. air disaster in over two decades.
Senator Ted Cruz criticized the decision to disable ADS-B, noting it was unnecessary for a training mission. The helicopter was also flying above the maximum allowed altitude. The FAA is now reviewing airspace safety near airports with mixed air traffic and has restricted helicopter flights at Reagan National Airport until late February.
Investigators continue to analyze cockpit recordings as they assess crash circumstances.
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