The U.S. government admitted it is liable for the January collision between an airliner and a Black Hawk helicopter during its approach to Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people including several young figure skaters, according to court documents.
The response comes after the widow of Casey Crafton, one of the victims in the crash, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in September against the U.S. government, American Airlines and its regional partner, PSA Airlines.
In a 209-page court document filed Wednesday, the U.S. government said in its response to the lawsuit that it is partly liable after the Army pilots flying the Black Hawk helicopter failed to “maintain vigilance” to see and avoid the American Airlines jet before the crash.
“The United States admits that the accident could have been avoided” if the helicopter pilots had maintained visual separation from the passenger jet, according to the document.
The government denied that air traffic controllers and federal employees of the Federal Aviation Administration or the Army were negligent in the crash.
On Wednesday, American Airlines and PSA Airlines filed motions to dismiss the lawsuit against them.
The Army and American Airlines did not immediately respond to The Athletic’s requests for comment.
The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting a safety investigation and is expected to release a report on the causes of the crash in early 2026.
The collision occurred shortly before 9 p.m. ET on Jan. 29, causing the passenger jet and the helicopter to explode and fall into the Potomac River. There were no survivors, making it the deadliest plane crash in the U.S. in more than 20 years. Rescue crews recovered the bodies of at least 28 victims from the icy river.
Among the passengers were young figure skaters, their parents and coaches returning from a national development camp in Wichita, Kan. The camp, held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships the previous weekend, was for top junior, intermediate and novice skaters on track for roles on the senior team in the future.
Six of the victims had ties to The Skating Club of Boston, which hosted the World Figure Skating Championships in March. The club opened the championships with a remembrance ceremony in honor of the crash victims, and remarks from Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and Doug Lane, representing all the families who lost loved ones in the crash. Lane’s wife, Christine, and 16-year-old son, Spencer, who trained at The Skating Club of Boston, died in the crash.