Quote

The study comprised data from several sources, including ADS-B, radar, the
aircraft FDRs and CVRs, and laser scans of the cockpits of an exemplar CRJ700 and
UH-60L and of the DCA ATCT cab. To provide a rough approximation of the
perspective of the flight crews and how they evolved over time, a view from each
cockpit was recreated in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 using the program’s
inherent included aircraft, environment, and cultural lighting graphics

https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AIR2602.pdf

According to a Reddit comment, it could be this video from the NTSB that is using MSFS 2024:

 

I will never understand the logic of flying helicopters across the final approach path of airliners. Absolute madness in my opinion.

6 minutes ago, Christopher Low said:

I will never understand the logic of flying helicopters across the final approach path of airliners. Absolute madness in my opinion.

As a general principle, I'm not sure this is necessarily a problem. For example, it happens routinely at Heathrow and Gatwick, to name just two examples. I'd suggest that the issue at KDCA were the specific procedures and separations that were used.

So, according to this simulation, the pilot of PAT-25 never saw the CRJ coming in, if we limit ourselves to the NVG FOV.

Speechless 😧

I think the point of this thread is that NTSB is using MSFS.

dd

Edited February 18Feb 18 by Sky_Pilot071

They're using it specifically for visualization, not the simulation aspects.

There's a sperate report from October 2025 that mentions one of the downsides to using 2024 is that AI Traffic does not render as far as it does in FSX and that several buildings are too bight (though that has been fixed since the report was made).

Which might be mean they use FSX at the NTSB as well, or have in the past.

 

10 hours ago, abrams_tank said:

it could be this video from the NTSB that is using MSFS 2024:

It is, even says so in the video description.

 

Edited February 19Feb 19 by Tuskin38

15 hours ago, Sky_Pilot071 said:

I think the point of this thread is that NTSB is using MSFS.

dd

Yup, I think using flight simulators to recreate past scenarios is a cheap and quick way to do it. People mentioned that the NTSB could have used something like Blender to recreate the scenario, but it would take far longer, and the quality wouldn't have been magnitudes better than MSFS 2024 anyways (the quality would have been better, but not infinitely better, especially because it happened at night).

23 hours ago, Christopher Low said:

I will never understand the logic of flying helicopters across the final approach path of airliners. Absolute madness in my opinion.

Or not clearing final.

A perfect example why see and avoid, especially at night, is recipie for disaster.

On 2/18/2026 at 6:56 AM, Christopher Low said:

I will never understand the logic of flying helicopters across the final approach path of airliners. Absolute madness in my opinion.

It has nothing to do with logic... Flight rules: Helicopters are flying VFR. Approaches are IFR.

6 minutes ago, Flyfaster_MTN002 said:

Flight rules: Helicopters are flying VFR. Approaches are IFR.

Except at DCA and in the U.S. overall, approaches are often flown as Visual Approach. Which technically is still under IFR rules, but seperation becomes pilot responsibility and see and avoid becomes a factor. Both aircraft in this accident where flying visual.

It is done because seperation becomes lower, and so you can squeeze in more aircfraft. So it's basically economic interest taken precedence over safety.

As is so often done in the U.S.

Edited February 19Feb 19 by Farlis

15 hours ago, Farlis said:

Which technically is still under IFR rules, but seperation becomes pilot responsibility and see and avoid becomes a factor

Only if  visual separation is being applied by the pilot.

You can be cleared a visual approach and ATC still maintain that responsibility.