The United States government has formally accepted legal responsibility for a catastrophic mid-air collision earlier this year that claimed 67 lives. The admission came in a federal court filing related to one of the numerous lawsuits stemming from the disaster.
Government Accepts Breach of Duty in Fatal Accident
In a significant legal development, the US Justice Department submitted a document to a federal court on Wednesday, January 29, acknowledging liability. Lawyers stated, "The United States admits that it owed a duty of care to plaintiffs, which it breached, thereby proximately causing the tragic accident." This filing pertains to roughly two dozen lawsuits initiated by the victims' families against the government, American Airlines Group Inc., and its subsidiary, PSA Airlines.
The tragic incident involved an American Airlines CRJ-700 regional jet, operating as Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, with 60 passengers and four crew members on board. It collided with a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Army helicopter carrying three personnel on a training mission. The collision occurred as the jet was approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia. Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River, resulting in one of the deadliest aviation crashes in the US in decades.
Legal Battles and Broader Safety Concerns
Robert Clifford, an attorney representing the wife of a deceased passenger, stated that the US Army's admission covers its "responsibility for the needless loss of life" and the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) "failure to follow air traffic control procedure." However, Clifford noted the government was "one of several causes," pointing out that American Airlines and PSA have moved to dismiss the complaints against them.
American Airlines declined to comment on the recent Justice Department filing but referenced its earlier motion to dismiss. In that motion, the airline expressed sympathy but argued that the plaintiffs' "proper legal recourse is not against American. It is against the United States government." The FAA directed inquiries to the Justice Department, and the US Army did not immediately respond to requests for comment after hours.
Aftermath and Enhanced Safety Measures
This high-profile collision was followed by a series of other aviation incidents, including crashes and near-misses, which fueled widespread public concern over flight safety. In response, the Federal Aviation Administration has implemented stricter safety protocols at the busy Reagan National Airport and imposed restrictions on non-essential helicopter operations in the area.
The legal case is identified as Crafton vs. American Airlines, 25-cv-03382, in the US District Court for the District of Columbia in Washington.
