WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE AMERICAN AIRLINES PLANE & ARMY HELICOPTER COLLISION OVER THE POTOMAC
Just outside of Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling a regional jet flying for American Airlines regional jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. The event is still unfolding but no survivors are expected. Wreckage is still being investigated, which may be a complicated situation, considering aircraft crashed into the Potomac River near the Reagan National Airport.
American Airlines Flight Crashed With a U.S. Army Black Hawk Helicopter
An American Airlines regional jet collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, crashing into the Potomac River with no expected survivors.
According to the Joint Task Force-National Capitol Region media chief, the helicopter involved in the collision was on a training flight, and belonged to the Army’s Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia. According to officials, the Reuters helicopter flights have been paused for the Army unit involved in the collision.
The jet carried 64 passengers, while three were aboard the helicopter. The fuselage was found in three sections, partially submerged. Recovery crews have retrieved 28 bodies so far.
So far, it appears the crash could have been avoidable as both aircraft were in standard flight patterns during clear conditions.
Debris is being found in multiple states, including Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C., leading to park and shoreline closures while recovery efforts are ongoing and officials work to determine what caused the crash.
Clear Conditions, Appropriate Height
Officials are looking into the height of the flight paths but the Black Hawk helicopter, which would need to be higher than 200 feet, seems to have been flying at around 350 feet.
Communications are also being investigated at this time, though clear conditions and an experienced military crew on board point to best practices likely being in place. The Soldiers were wearing night vision goggles at the time.
Skating Club of Boston Victims
Fourteen figure skaters from U.S. Figure Skating’s national development camp were on the plane, heading from Wichita, Kansas.
This includes six from the Skating Club of Boston—athletes Jinna Han and Spencer Lane with their mothers, and coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, according to club CEO Doug Zeghibe.
Flight Paths Were Normal Before the Crash
Prior to the crash, flight paths for both the helicopter and the plane were normal, according to the Secretary of Transportation. In a statement he said, “This was not unusual with a military aircraft flying the river and an aircraft landing at DCA.”
Additionally, Duffy explained that investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration would analyze the debris.
The Black Hawk helicopter crash was the first major commercial air crash that has occurred in almost 16 years. The last crash occurred in February of 2009. This was when a Continental Airlines flight out of New Jersey crashed into a home as it was approaching an airport in Buffalo, NY. That plane was a Bombardier Q400, and 49 people died in that tragedy.
The last major American Airlines crash occurred in November of 2001, near John F. Kennedy International Airport. The flight crashed shortly after take-off, and killed 265 people.
An Investigation is Launched by the Army
According to military spokesman Ron McLendon II, the Army is joining an investigation into the crash that is being led by the National Transportation Security Board.
The Army has described the involved helicopter, UH-60 Black Hawk, as a “utility tactical transport helicopter.” According to the Army, the helicopter has improved military mobility because of its increased capacity to carry troops and cargo.
DUring the time of collision, the helicopter was on an “annual proficiency training flight,” explained Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. According to Hegseth, the crew was “fairly experienced” and was conducting a night evaluation. Night goggles were also on board.
American Airlines, U.S. Army Black Hawk Helicopter Crash, an Avoidable Tragedy
The mid-air collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Blackhawk helicopter seems to have been avoidable, according to early findings.
President Donald Trump and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy both agreed the accident should have been prevented.
Communication seems to have been in working order at the time of the crash, however, at the time of this writing, Duffy is only providing limited details.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) along with the Army and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will lead the investigation.
So far, the American Airlines plane's black boxes haven't been recovered.
The cause of the American Airlines, U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crash will likely take time to conclude, but for now, our thoughts and prayers are with the families of those affected by this unfortunate tragedy
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