Investigators have located the flight data and cockpit voice recorder from a military helicopter that collided with a passenger aircraft in Washington, resulting in the deaths of 67 individuals, as stated by an official.
In response, US authorities have imposed restrictions on helicopter flights in proximity to Reagan Washington National Airport.
According to National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman, investigators successfully retrieved the helicopter’s black box, which records flight information and cockpit conversations, during an afternoon briefing.
The data obtained from the black box, alongside the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the CRJ700 airplane, could assist authorities in understanding the sequence of events leading up to the two aircraft’s collision on Wednesday night, which fell into Washington’s icy Potomac River, marking the deadliest US air disaster in two decades.
A notice has been placed along the Potomac River by the City of Alexandria near the wreckage of the American Airlines plane.
As of now, authorities have yet to determine a cause for the crash, with Mr. Inman emphasizing that the board would refrain from speculation until their investigation is complete.
“The NTSB is an independent, bipartisan board that has set the standard for 58 years. Our role is to uncover the facts, but more importantly, to ensure that such a tragedy does not recur, irrespective of public opinion,” Mr. Inman mentioned, adding that he hadn’t communicated with President Donald Trump or anyone at the White House.
In an unrelated incident, a small private aircraft crashed near a shopping mall in Philadelphia on Friday evening, resulting in multiple ground casualties, according to local media reports.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated on X that he is monitoring the incident and is en route to the Federal Aviation Administration to gather additional information.
Following the Washington crash, the FAA has significantly limited helicopter flights around Reagan to mitigate the risk of another collision, as confirmed earlier by Mr. Duffy, who reported that this news was first brought to light by Reuters.
According to Mr. Duffy, the restrictions “will quickly enhance the safety of airspace surrounding Reagan Airport, ensuring the security of both airplane and helicopter operations.”
Read more: US restricts helicopter flights after Washington crash, 41 bodies recovered
The FAA is prohibiting most helicopters from certain routes near the airport, with exceptions made for police and medical helicopters, air defense, and presidential transport in the region between the airport and nearby bridges.
These restrictions will remain in effect at least until the NTSB provides a preliminary report on the tragic collision, which generally occurs within 30 days. At that point, they will be reassessed, Mr. Duffy indicated.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed that the airline intends to collaborate with the government “to enhance the safety of our aviation system.”
To date, crews have recovered 41 bodies. Efforts to retrieve debris from the Potomac River will commence “in earnest,” according to Mr. Inman, with the operation anticipated to extend throughout the week.
Washington DC Fire Chief John Donnelly stated that 28 bodies have been positively identified, and he expects that all victims will eventually be accounted for.
The American Airlines aircraft was attempting to land when it collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter, resulting in the fatalities of all 60 passengers and four crew members on board. Two of the three service members who lost their lives in the helicopter were identified yesterday.
Terry Liercke, Vice President and Manager of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, addresses the press during a conference.
Concerns about safety
The crash has raised significant questions regarding air safety and a staffing shortage of tower controllers at the heavily trafficked airport serving the US capital.
The FAA is falling short by approximately 3,000 controllers from its staffing goals. The agency reported that in 2023, there were about 10,700 certified controllers, roughly the same number as the previous year.
On the day of the incident, only one controller was managing local airplane and helicopter traffic at the airport, rather than the customary two. This situation was regarded as “not normal” but deemed satisfactory for the lower levels of traffic, according to a source briefed on the circumstances. Mr. Duffy has pledged to implement reforms at the FAA.
The airspace around the Washington area is congested, home to three commercial airports, numerous military installations, and some senior government officials who travel by helicopter.
During a three-year period ending in 2019, there averaged 80 helicopter flights per day within 30 miles of Reagan National Airport, primarily composed of military and law enforcement flights, as outlined in a 2021 Government Accountability Office report.
The trajectory of the helicopter has also come under scrutiny. The military indicated that the maximum altitude for the helicopter’s route was 200 feet, yet the collision occurred at an altitude of approximately 300 feet, according to the flight tracking service FlightRadar24.
Members of the Alexandria Fire Department search for debris near the crash site.
Mr. Trump has commented on the incident, asserting that the helicopter involved in the collision was flying too high.
“The Black Hawk helicopter was flying significantly above the allowable height. It exceeded the 200-foot limit,” Mr. Trump stated in a post on Truth Social.
Senator Maria Cantwell, the leading Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, raised concerns about the safety of military and commercial flights being separated by as little as 350 feet vertically and horizontally.
Radio communications indicated that air traffic controllers had warned the helicopter about the incoming jet and instructed it to alter its course.
The pilot of American Eagle Flight 5342 had approximately six years of flying experience, as reported by the airline’s CEO. The Bombardier jet was operated by PSA Airlines, a regional affiliate.
Terry Liercke, vice president of Reagan National, announced that two of the three airport runways are expected to remain closed for a week. The primary runway at Reagan, which will remain operational, handles about 90% of the airport’s flights and is recognized as the busiest single runway in the US.
The crash victims included individuals from Russia, China, Germany, and the Philippines, as well as young figure skaters returning from a prestigious national training camp in Kansas, the state from which the passenger flight originated.
