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

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

© Christopher Capozziello for The New York Times

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

© Eric Lee for The New York Times

© Al Drago for The New York Times

© Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York Times

© United States Air Force

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© Hollie Adams/Reuters

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

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© Eric Lee for The New York Times

© Illustration by The New York Times; photograph by Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty

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© Annie Mulligan for The New York Times

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

© Alessandra Montalto/The New York Times

© Doug Mills/The New York Times