WASHINGTON, March 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. Secret Service

and Navy testing of counter-drone technology near Reagan

Washington National Airport earlier this month led to numerous

flight crews receiving faulty alerts of potentially nearby

aircraft on arrival, the Federal Aviation Administration and a

senator said.

Senate Commerce Committee chair Ted Cruz at a hearing said

the March 1 faulty alerts leading to some flights aborting

landings was because the government testing using the same

spectrum band as the alerting system and led to interference.

Cruz called the testing inappropriate and "deeply disturbing"

after a fatal collision on Jan. 29 between an American Airlines ( AAL )

regional jet and Army helicopter killed 67 people. Acting FAA

Administrator Chris Rocheleau confirmed that Cruz' account was

correct.