A tragic mid-air collision in Washington DC leaves 64 dead, raising urgent safety questions.
Washington DC: A routine flight turned tragic when an American Airlines jet collided with a helicopter. This happened just before landing, leading to a devastating crash into the Potomac River.
Questions are swirling about how this mid-air disaster occurred. All 64 people on the plane and three on the helicopter are believed to be dead.
Horrifying footage captured the moment the twin-engine Bombardier CRJ700 jet hit the US Army Black Hawk. A bright flash lit up the sky as the two aircraft collided.
Rescue crews are searching the freezing waters for survivors. However, dark and cold conditions are making their efforts difficult.
Officials have warned that there are “many, many, many” fatalities. They are still trying to determine the cause of this tragedy.
Here’s a minute-by-minute breakdown of the crash. At 5:18 PM, American Eagle Flight 5342 took off from Wichita, Kansas, with several ice skaters on board.
At 8:39 PM, a US Army UH-60 helicopter took off from Fort Beaver, Virginia, with three people on a training exercise. Just before 8:40 PM, a passenger texted her husband that they would land soon.
Between 8:43 PM and 8:47 PM, air traffic controllers asked the jet if it could land on a shorter runway. The pilots confirmed they could.
At 8:47 PM, an air traffic controller tried to warn the helicopter about the approaching plane. Just moments later, CCTV captured the collision, which occurred about 400 feet above the ground.
The plane was flying at around 140 mph when it crashed. An alert was sounded at 8:48 PM, and controllers reacted in shock as they witnessed the crash unfold.
Emergency crews began arriving at the scene shortly after. By 9:04 PM, the first search and rescue boat left Capital Cove Marina.
As the night went on, more boats joined the search. By midnight, the National Elite passenger boat and fire rescue boats were on the scene.
At 12:19 AM on January 30, Donald Trump commented on the crash, stating it “should have been prevented.” He raised concerns about the visibility and communication between the aircraft.
By 12:58 AM, officials confirmed that 300 responders were involved in the operation. The mayor of Washington DC praised the firefighters for their hard work in tough conditions.
As dawn broke, law enforcement reported that up to 20 bodies had been recovered from the water. The search continued as rescue crews worked tirelessly.
At 7:30 AM, officials held a press conference at the airport. They confirmed that 27 bodies had been recovered from the plane and one from the helicopter.
The rescue mission has now shifted to a recovery operation, with no survivors expected. American Airlines’ CEO stated they are unsure why the military helicopter entered the flight path.
Authorities announced that the airport would reopen at 11 AM.
How common are domestic flights in the US?
Every day, the Federal Aviation Administration oversees 45,000 flights with nearly three million passengers. This covers a vast area of airspace across the US.
During peak times, there can be up to 5,400 aircraft in the sky. This makes it crucial for aviation experts and air traffic controllers to maintain safety.
Any mistake from flight crews or controllers can lead to tragedy. A shortage of air traffic controllers has raised safety concerns in the past.
Washington DC’s airspace is particularly busy. There have been several near-miss incidents at Reagan National Airport recently.
Reagan National has a shorter runway than many others, making it the busiest single runway in the US. It handles over 800 takeoffs and landings each day.
