How the Army Caused Alarm in the Washington Skies Years Before a Fatal Crash

An aged helicopter fleet and inexperienced pilots from nearby Fort Belvoir had raised “widespread concern” among local pilots before a midair collision killed 67 people.Helicopter helmets and a model of a Black Hawk helicopter on display in the home of Austin Roth, who served two decades in the Army, including as an instructor at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The helmet on the top left is one Mr. Roth used while assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion.