Context:

The families of the victims of the midair collision involving American Airlines Flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter are frustrated with the Army's lack of transparency and cooperation in the investigation. They have criticized the Army's refusal to engage with the families and its withholding of an unclassified ADS-B policy memo, which was only released under threat of subpoena. The ADS-B system, meant to prevent collisions, was not transmitting in the Army helicopter during the accident. Lawmakers, including Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, have condemned the Army's actions, and the Inspector General has declined an independent audit despite bipartisan support. The families demand the appointment of a family liaison and a commitment to full transparency and safety reforms from the Army, emphasizing the tragedy's scale as the deadliest U.S. civilian casualty incident involving the military in modern history.

Dive Deeper:

• The families of the 67 victims of the January midair collision have expressed their dismay at the Army's handling of the investigation, highlighting a lack of engagement and transparency compared to other involved parties.

• A letter to the Secretary of the Army from the victims' families criticized the Army for withholding an unclassified ADS-B policy memo from Congress, which was crucial for understanding the safety protocols surrounding the incident.

• The ADS-B system, designed to prevent aircraft collisions, was not operational in the Army's Black Hawk helicopter during the crash, raising significant safety concerns and accountability issues.

• Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell have publicly criticized the Army, suggesting that future incidents could occur if the Army does not revise its policy of turning off ADS-B Out for operational reasons.

• Despite bipartisan calls for an independent audit of the incident, the Army Inspector General has refused to open such an investigation, increasing frustration among the families and lawmakers.

• The families are urging the Army to appoint a liaison, meet with them, and support congressional audits to ensure transparency and prevent future tragedies, emphasizing the historical significance of the incident.

• CNN has reached out to the Pentagon for a response, as the families continue to seek accountability and meaningful reform in military safety protocols to prevent similar accidents in the future.