The U.S. government for the first time acknowledged direct responsibility in a court filing responding to the first civil lawsuit, after a mid‑January collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport killed 67 people.In the filing the Justice Department said the United States "owed a duty of care to plaintiffs, which it breached, thereby proximately causing the tragic accident," and assigned blame to both the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Army while suggesting pilots and airlines may also have contributed.The NTSB continues its investigation and has reported the Black Hawk flew about 78 feet above the permitted 200‑foot route limit, noted barometric altimeter discrepancies and questioned visual separation practices that the FAA has since curtailed; American Airlines and PSA Airlines have asked to be dismissed and litigation and a final NTSB report remain pending.