On January 29th, a midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet over the Potomac River shocked the nation. The crash killed 67 people and called into question the safety of air traffic control operations. Just a few days following the crash, President Donald Trump placed the blame on DEI initiatives, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, and even the pilot of the Army Black Hawk helicopter. On Tuesday, the preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the tragedy were released. What did that report reveal? Is it still safe to fly? USA TODAY Aviation Reporter Zach Wichter joins The Excerpt to discuss findings from the report.

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