Roberto Marquez of Dallas, Texas, created a makeshift memorial on January 31 to honor the victims of the fatal midair collision near Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. Families of the victims of American Airlines Flight 5342 express deep disappointment with the Army’s recent handling of the ongoing investigation into the January collision that claimed 67 lives near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. In a new letter addressed to the Secretary of the Army, signed by family members of the deceased passengers from the regional jet and Black Hawk helicopter collision, criticism was directed at the Army’s lack of communication and cooperation with the families, contrasting with the collaborative approach of other parties involved in the incident. The letter raised concerns about transparency and accountability, especially regarding the Army’s withholding of an unclassified ADS-B policy memo from Congress until threatened with a subpoena. ADS-B is aircraft equipment designed to detect and prevent collisions, but the NTSB discovered it was not transmitting in the Army helicopter during the January tragedy. Lawmakers, including Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, have condemned the Army’s actions following the incident. Calls for an independent audit into the crash were declined by the Army Inspector General, despite bipartisan support. The families are urging the Army to appoint a family liaison, hold a meeting with them, and support the audits requested by Congress. Requests for comments from the Pentagon by CNN have not received a response. To stay updated with CNN news and newsletters, you can sign up for an account at CNN.com.
