The midair collision between a US Army helicopter and an American Airlines jetliner has resulted in the deaths of all 67 people on board both aircraft. The incident, which occurred on Wednesday night near Washington DC, has been described as the deadliest air disaster in the United States in over two decades.
At least 28 bodies have been recovered from the icy waters of the Potomac River, where the helicopter crashed after flying into the path of the jet. The American Airlines flight had been landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport when the collision occurred. The plane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, while the helicopter had three soldiers on board.
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Initial investigations into the crash have revealed that air traffic control staffing was "not normal" at the time of the collision. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report, the controller on duty at Reagan National Airport was handling tasks typically assigned to two people. “The position configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” the FAA report stated.
Nation in grief
Following the crash, President Donald Trump confirmed that no one survived. In a White House news conference, he expressed the nation’s grief, calling the event an “hour of anguish.”
“We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” said John Donnelly, Fire Chief for Washington DC. The wreckage of both aircraft was found in the Potomac River, with the plane discovered upside-down in three separate pieces. First responders continued to search the river as far south as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, nearly 5 km from the airport.
Details on aircraft, cause of crash
The American Airlines flight, inbound from Wichita, Kansas, was nearing the end of its flight when it collided with the military Black Hawk helicopter. No official cause for the crash has been determined, but the FAA reported that flight conditions were clear at the time. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom commented, "On final approach into Reagan National, it collided with a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach."
Jonathan Koziol, Chief of Staff for Army Aviation, stated that the helicopter crew was highly experienced and familiar with flying in Washington’s busy airspace. He added, “Both pilots had flown this specific route before, at night. This wasn't something new to either one of them.”
Despite this, Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested that the helicopter’s altitude may have contributed to the collision, with the maximum allowed altitude at the time being just 200 feet. However, Koziol stressed that investigators would need to examine the flight data before drawing conclusions.
Reactions, blame
President Trump opened the news conference with a moment of silence for the victims, but he soon shifted to political blame. He criticised the Biden administration and air traffic control policies, even suggesting that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was undermining standards through diversity hiring initiatives. Trump made unfounded accusations against air traffic controllers, military pilots, and even federal policies, though the cause of the crash remains unknown.
The mood inside Reagan National Airport was sombre as stranded passengers waited for flights to resume. Many were seen reflecting on the devastating loss. A passenger at the airport, Aster Andemicael, expressed her sorrow, saying, “I’ve been crying since yesterday. This is devastating.”
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, recently appointed to his role, stated that early indicators suggest the crash could have been prevented. While military aircraft frequently operate in the area, Duffy added, “From what I’ve seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely.”
Wednesday’s crash is the deadliest US aviation disaster since November 2001, when an American Airlines flight crashed near New York, killing all 260 people on board. The last major fatal crash involving a US commercial airline occurred in 2009, near Buffalo, New York, resulting in 50 fatalities.
Among the passengers aboard the American Airlines flight were several US and Russian figure skaters, including two coaches, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who had previously competed in the Olympics. Doug Zeghibe, CEO of the Skating Club of Boston, described their loss as a blow to the skating community, saying, “Folks are just stunned by this. They are like family to us.”
Collision in highly monitored airspace
The collision occurred just before 9 pm EST, within some of the most tightly controlled airspace in the world, located just south of the White House. American Airlines Flight 5342 had been cleared to land on Runway 33 at Reagan National when the crash occurred.
Flight data shows that the aircraft was descending at 140 mph and had adjusted its approach before the crash. Moments before the collision, an air traffic controller asked the helicopter if it had the jet in sight. Seconds later, the two aircraft collided. The plane's transponder stopped transmitting just 2,400 feet from the runway.
US media reports indicate that the flight data and cockpit voice recorders have been retrieved from the passenger plane that plunged into the Potomac River following a fatal midair collision with a military helicopter.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is still underway. While air traffic control procedures and the role of the helicopter pilots are being scrutinised, further details are expected in the coming days. The FAA and other aviation authorities are working to uncover the exact sequence of events that led to this tragic accident.
Agencies
Published: 31 Jan 2025, 06:34 am IST
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