
News Wrap: Key instruction missed before DC crash, NTSB says
Clip: 2/14/2025 | 5m 11sVideo has Closed Captions
News Wrap: Black Hawk crew may have missed key instruction before DC collision, NTSB says
In our news wrap Friday, NTSB investigators shared new details about the moments before last month’s deadly aircraft collision in D.C., a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to lift its funding freeze on foreign aid, Hamas named three more Israeli hostages it plans to release Saturday, and heavy rains caused mudslides in Los Angeles.
Major corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by...

News Wrap: Key instruction missed before DC crash, NTSB says
Clip: 2/14/2025 | 5m 11sVideo has Closed Captions
In our news wrap Friday, NTSB investigators shared new details about the moments before last month’s deadly aircraft collision in D.C., a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to lift its funding freeze on foreign aid, Hamas named three more Israeli hostages it plans to release Saturday, and heavy rains caused mudslides in Los Angeles.
How to Watch PBS News Hour
PBS News Hour is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipGEOFF BENNETT: We start the day's other headlines with new information on the deadly collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter in Washington, D.C., last month.
Federal investigators now say the Black Hawk crew may have missed a key instruction by air traffic control seconds before the crash.
The plane was coming in for a landing at Reagan National Airport when the collision occurred.
All 67 people on board both aircraft were killed.
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said today that air traffic control instructed the helicopter to pass behind the jet as they were getting closer.
JENNIFER HOMENDY, Chair, National Transportation Safety Board: The portion of the transmission that stated "Pass behind the" may not have been received by the Black Hawk crew.
Transmission was stepped on by a point-eight second mic key from the Black Hawk.
The Black Hawk was keying the mic to communicate with ATC.
GEOFF BENNETT: Homendy also said investigators believe the crew were wearing night-vision goggles, and they're looking into whether altitude readings inside the helicopter's cockpit were inaccurate at the time of the collision.
A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to lift its funding freeze on foreign aid and has given officials a five-day deadline to prove they are doing so.
The order late last night was the first to challenge the freeze.
It cited the financial impact that the cutoff of payments is having worldwide.
President Trump ordered the 90-day freeze last month to allow officials time to determine which groups would keep getting federal funds.
The judge in his ruling said officials have not offered any explanation for why a blanket suspension was a rational precursor to reviewing programs.
In the Middle East, Hamas announced the names of the three Israeli hostages it intends to release tomorrow in the latest exchange of the fragile cease-fire.
They are Israeli-American Sagui Dekel-Chen, Israeli-Argentinean Iair Horn, and Israeli-Russian Alexander Sasha Troufanov.
They are expected to be exchanged for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas threatened earlier this week to delay the hostage release, saying that Israel had violated some of the terms of the cease-fire, but the group later agreed to move forward as planned.
California's strongest storm system this season dropped up to six inches of rain and sent flash floods and mud down the burned hillsides of Los Angeles.
Cascades of muddy water rushed across roads, leaving behind debris and sludge.
The floods even swept an L.A. Fire Department vehicle into the ocean.
One person was in the car, who escaped with only minor injuries.
Further north, the same system caused whiteout conditions in Oregon.
At least 10 people there were injured in a 100-car pile-up, and forecasters say another polar vortex will send temperatures plummeting across huge parts of the nation next week.
In Missouri, an 86-year-old white man pleaded guilty today in the nonfatal shooting of a young Black man who had rung his doorbell by mistake.
Andrew Lester had been due to stand trial next week on charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action.
Instead, he pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and faces up to seven years in prison.
Ralph Yarl was in court today to hear the plea.
He was 16 years old when he mistakenly ended up at Lester's house after mixing up the streets where he was due to pick up his twin siblings.
The shooting renewed questions about America's relationship with guns and race.
Yarl has since graduated from high school, earning a National Merit Award for Academics.
On Wall Street today, stocks ended mixed after an otherwise strong week.
The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 165 points, or about a third of 1 percent.
The Nasdaq posted a decent gain, adding roughly 80 points.
The S&P 500 ended virtually flat.
And it was a day of brotherly love on this Valentine's Day for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Tens of thousands of fans lined the streets to cheer on their beloved birds as they paraded across downtown, hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
MAN: Say it with me, E-A-G-L-E-S, Eagles!
GEOFF BENNETT: And with that final rallying cry from the famous Rocky steps and in front of a sea of Kelly green, the Super Bowl underdogs celebrated being top dog for the second time in the team's history.
They beat the Kansas City Chiefs this past Sunday 40-22.
Still to come on the "News Hour": the E.U.
's foreign policy chief on the future of Ukraine amid shifting U.S. support; constitutional scholar Ilya Shapiro considers President Trump's expanded view of executive authority; and Jane Austen fans around the world honor the British novelist's legacy 250 years after her birth.
Brooks and Capehart on Trump’s challenge to the judiciary
Video has Closed Captions
Brooks and Capehart on the Trump administration’s challenge to the judiciary branch (9m 33s)
Constitutional scholar discusses Trump’s executive authority
Video has Closed Captions
Constitutional scholar on whether Trump’s actions are executive overreach (7m 22s)
DOJ in upheaval over order to dismiss Adams corruption case
Video has Closed Captions
Justice Department in upheaval over order to dismiss NYC Mayor Adams’ corruption case (7m 49s)
EU official on future of Ukraine amid shifting U.S. support
Video has Closed Captions
EU’s foreign policy chief discusses the future of Ukraine amid shifting U.S. support (6m 12s)
Jane Austen fans honor novelist 250 years after her birth
Video has Closed Captions
Jane Austen fans honor British novelist’s legacy 250 years after her birth (7m 42s)
Mass firings sweep federal agencies amid court challenges
Video has Closed Captions
Mass firings sweep across federal agencies as Trump administration defends itself in court (2m 59s)
Vance lectures European allies on democracy at Munich summit
Video has Closed Captions
Vance lectures European allies on democracy at security summit in Munich (5m 2s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipMajor corporate funding for the PBS News Hour is provided by BDO, BNSF, Consumer Cellular, American Cruise Lines, and Raymond James. Funding for the PBS NewsHour Weekend is provided by...