Midair Collision Hearing Scheduled
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WATCH LIVE: Senate hearing examines D.C. midair collision and NTSB preliminary report

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The head of the National Transportation Safety Board that is investigating the crash will appear along with the leaders of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Army ’s aviation division to answer questions in the Senate .

There will almost certainly be questions about the 85 dangerous close calls between planes and helicopters near Washington 's Ronald Reagan National Airport that the NTSB identified in the three years before the crash.

The radio altitude of the helicopter was 278 feet ( 85 meters ) at the time, which would put it above its 200-foot ( 61-meter ) limit for that location.

Cockpit conversations a few minutes before the crash indicate that the crew may not have had accurate altitude readings.

“We are looking at the possibility there may be bad data,” Homendy said.