The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released safety recommendations following its investigation into the January 29, 2025, midair collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army helicopter. The NTSB urged that all aircraft operating in areas where ADS-B Out broadcasting is required should also use ADS-B In technology.
The ROTOR Act, led by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), aims to codify this recommendation. The bipartisan bill was unanimously passed by the Senate in December but remains stalled in the House.
Media coverage has highlighted how the ROTOR Act addresses one of the NTSB’s top recommendations. According to The Washington Post Editorial Board: “The crafting of the Rotor Act represents a refreshing case of serious legislating to address a narrow problem, not a knee-jerk reaction to ‘do something’ after a tragedy. Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-Washington) worked with the Pentagon, FAA, NTSB and aviation groups to hammer out solutions.”
Ben Shtuhl, whose partner Melissa Nicandri was among those on Flight 5342, commented on recent developments: “The NTSB report is another step in getting real accountability from agencies and others,” he said. Shtuhl added his hope that “the NTSB’s findings will bolster congressional efforts to repeal that provision by passing a bipartisan measure known as the Rotorcraft Operations Transparency and Oversight Reform Act (ROTOR).”
Politico reporters Sam Ogozalek and Pavan Acharya noted: “The NTSB recommended that the FAA also require ADS-B In on aircraft that already need ADS-B Out. That’s sure to give a boost to Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and the committee’s top Democrat, Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington state, whose bipartisan ROTOR Act, S. 2503, would implement this very plan.”
Bloomberg Transportation reported: “The US Army helicopter also failed to broadcast its position using a technology known as ADS-B Out, which factored into the accident. Senate Commerce Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas), and ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), have teamed up on legislation to tighten the rules that allow military aircraft to fly without having ADS-B Out turned on (S. 1706). The Senate passed the bill in December but it has since stalled in the House.”
AeroTime editor Stephen Pope wrote: “The board also highlighted the ROTOR Act, pending legislation that would require military and government helicopters to carry ADS-B equipment and keep it activated in shared airspace. Investigators said the technology could have provided collision alerts up to a minute before impact.”
Washingtonian staff writer Ike Allen explained: “In December, Homendy condemned a section in the National Defense Authorization Act that would allow military helicopters to operate without ADS-B Out, watering down the requirement made by the FAA at the NTSB’s urging.” He continued: “Soon after, a group of senators on the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, led by Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, filed an amendment to strike that section from the bill. After meeting with families of American Airlines Flight 5342 victims, they had also introduced the bipartisan ROTOR Act… The act passed in the Senate but is stuck in the House.”
Associated Press reporter Safiyah Riddle described testimony concluding with further recommendations from NTSB for preventing future crashes: “Some reforms rely on Congress, the Army and… Chief among them is a bill that would require aircraft to have advanced locator systems… Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said at memorial that bill was close to final passage.”
Jeff Wise for New York Magazine wrote about factors contributing to last year’s tragedy near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport—including staffing shortages at FAA towers—and noted: “…the Black Hawk [helicopter] failed to broadcast its location over ADS-B—an automatic reporting system—before collision… To address this final point…the Senate last month passed…the ROTOR Act…‘a fitting way to honor lives lost nearly one year ago over Potomac River,’ as co-sponsor Ted Cruz put it.”
The ROTOR Act mandates all civil and military aircraft equip themselves with both transmitting (ADS-B Out) and receiving (ADS-B In) capabilities for broadcasting signals; directs comprehensive evaluation of airspace safety at major U.S airports; improves information sharing between FAA and military; removes Section 373(a) from Fiscal Year 2026 NDAA—which had expanded exemptions allowing military helicopters untracked operation—and enjoys support from both White House officials and Department of War.
Senator Cruz introduced this legislation alongside several colleagues including Sens. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.). A bipartisan compromise reached between Senator Cruz and Senator Cantwell led committee approval before full Senate passage.
