I rise to honor the 67 lives that we lost on January 29, 2025. After months of investigative work, the NTSB uncovered systemic failures that culminated in the fateful midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger aircraft. The flight originated from my hometown of Wichita, Kansas. Our community was shocked by the tragedy, and I am heartbroken that several Kansans were among the victims. No family should ever have to endure that heartbreak. It is imperative that we work in Congress to ensure tragedies like this never happen again and that our skies are the safest in the world. We must build back the layers of safety that failed that night. I am grateful for the work of the NTSB and the Senate, and I realize there is always more that can and should be done to enhance aviation safety. I look forward to continuing this important work that honors their lives and makes our skies safer. Flying in the United States is the safest of anywhere in the world, but we must continue to identify and implement ways to make it safer.
Ron Estes: “I rise to honor the 67 lives that we lost on January 29, 2025. After months of investigative work, the NTSB uncovered…”
Editor's note · Context
Honoring the victims of a tragic midair collision and addressing aviation safety in Congress.
Share
More from Ron Estes
Today, I rise to recognize the exceptional service of Kansan Carl Harris, the 2024 chairman of the National Association of Home Builders. For more than four decades, Carl has made an outsized impact on the residential construction industry…
I thank Representative Mann for managing the floor time on this resolution. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 153, a resolution honoring the victims of Flight 5342 and Black Hawk PAT 25 and offering condolences to the families…
I rise to recognize and celebrate the life of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym of Granby, Massachusetts, who was an intern in my office. Eric's life was tragically cut short by a senseless act of violence in our Nation's Capital. Eric was an innocent…





