By David Shepardson

(Reuters) -A U.S. agency said on Friday it is opening an investigation into the government’s management of airspace around Reagan Washington National Airport after a January 29 collision between an American Airlines regional jet and Army helicopter that killed 67 people.

The U.S. Transportation Department Office of Inspector General is auditing the Federal Aviation Administration’s management of airspace and its allowance of exemptions of the use of a key safety system by some military aircraft known as ADS-B.

The FAA has faced criticism from lawmakers, the National Transportation Safety Board and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy for failing to act on reports of near-miss incidents before the collision in January.

“Every sign was there that there was a safety ris

See Full Page