BOSTON — The families of 64 passengers killed when an Army Blackhawk helicopter crossed into the path of a landing American Airlines flight say they are “deeply dismayed” by what they perceive as the Army’s refusal to engage with families.
A letter posted July 9th and signed by more than 160 loved ones calls for more transparency, accountability, and collaboration from the Army. It was addressed to Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll.
“Losing people we love dearly in such a sudden and traumatic manner has been incredibly difficult,” the letter reads. “Our lives — and the lives of so many others who were touched by our family members — will never be the same.”
Families say they are focused on understanding what happened and making sure a similar tragedy is not repeated.
“The Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, and American Airlines have all engaged with us compassionately and constructively on these issues,” the letter reads, later adding: “The Army’s approach contrasts sharply with the more collaborative stance taken by other organizations involved in this incident and raises serious questions about its commitment to transparency and accountability.”
In all, 67 people died in the tragedy – including three on the Blackhawk helicopter. Six passengers on the flight from Wichita to Washington, DC, were part of the Skating Club of Boston, returning from a competition in Kansas.
The letter makes four requests of the U.S. Army:
- Appoint a dedicated family liaison to serve as a direct point of contact between the Army and the Families of Flight 5342
- Commit to transparency by providing regular updates to families about the Army’s internal investigation findings and the concrete steps taken to prevent similar incidents
- Schedule a meeting with family representatives within the next 30 days to discuss these requests and establish an ongoing dialogue
- Publicly support the inspector general audits requested by Congress — as Secretary Duffy has done for the FAA — into the Army’s role in the accident and encourage public release of findings with only legally required redactions and brief explanations for withheld material
“Given that this is the deadliest incident involving U.S. civilian casualties caused by the military in modern history, the Army has a heightened responsibility to ensure full public transparency and urgent implementation of meaningful safety reforms,” the letter reads. “The scale of this tragedy demands complete cooperation and accountability from all parties involved — including the U.S. Army.”
To date, the Army has declined to open an independent audit into the crash, despite encouragement to do so from bipartisan lawmakers. The NTSB’s initial report found specific safety equipment in question was not transmitting in the helicopter when the accident occurred, but a final report is not expected until next year.
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