Sixty-seven lives were tragically lost on Wednesday night in the deadliest air disaster in the United States in nearly 25 years when an Army helicopter and a regional jetliner collided midair over the icy waters of the Potomac River.
Rescue operations gave way to recovery efforts on Thursday, with at least 28 bodies pulled from the river.
The American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport when it collided with a Black Hawk helicopter, which had three soldiers on board.
President Donald Trump, addressing reporters at the White House, confirmed that there were no survivors.
"We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation," said John Donnelly, Washington’s fire chief.
The crash occurred around 9 p.m., just 4.8 kilometres south of the White House and the Capitol, in one of the world’s most closely monitored airspaces.
Scrutiny on military flight procedures
Preliminary investigations revealed that air traffic control roles had been consolidated earlier than usual at Reagan National on the night of the disaster, a decision that is drawing scrutiny.
According to an FAA report obtained by the Associated Press, a single controller was coordinating helicopter traffic and aircraft arrivals and departures when the collision occurred.
The decision to combine roles, typically done at 9.30 p.m., was made earlier that evening. “The position configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” the report noted.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said the jetliner was on a routine landing approach when “the military aircraft came into the path” of the jet.
Videos of the mishap were widely shared on social meida.
On the other hand, a report by the Federal Aviation Administration says staffing in the air traffic control tower was “not normal” at time of the midair collision near Washington.
The report was obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.
Recovery efforts underway
The shattered jetliner was found in three sections, upside down in waist-deep water. Recovery crews scoured miles of the Potomac for wreckage and remains.
The helicopter was also located. Images from the site showed rescue boats circling the submerged wing and mangled fuselage.
Flight recorders from the CRJ700 have been recovered for analysis, National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Peter Knudson confirmed.
Authorities said flight conditions were clear at the time of the crash.
‘Very experienced’ helicopter crew
Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation, described the helicopter crew as “very experienced” and well-acquainted with the congested airspace around Washington.
He added, “Both pilots had flown this specific route before, at night. This wasn’t something new to either one of them.”
The helicopter’s altitude limit at the time was 200 feet, Koziol said, adding that investigators are yet to determine whether that limit was breached.
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth indicated that altitude appeared to be a factor.
Inside Reagan National Airport, stranded passengers looked on solemnly as recovery efforts continued across the Potomac.
Aster Andemicael, waiting with her father, said, "I've been crying since yesterday. This is devastating."
In Wichita, Kansas, the home of Bombardier’s US headquarters, the tragedy struck a raw nerve.
Wichita had recently hosted the US Figure Skating Championships and serves as a hub for the nation’s aviation industry.
Hundreds gathered for a prayer vigil.
“We will get through this, but the only way we will get through this is together,” said the Rev. Pamela Hughes Mason of St. Paul AME Church.
Political ramifications
Trump began a news conference with a moment of silence for the victims but quickly shifted to criticising diversity efforts at the FAA.
Without providing evidence, he blamed air traffic controllers and Democratic policies, alleging that the agency was “actively recruiting workers who suffer severe intellectual disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions under a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative.”
Wednesday’s crash is the deadliest in the US since November 2001, when an American Airlines flight crashed into a residential area in New York, killing 260 people.
Despite the devastation, aviation experts reiterated that air travel remains statistically safer than driving.
The National Safety Council estimates that Americans face a 1-in-93 chance of dying in a car crash, while deaths from plane crashes are too rare to calculate.
However, the congested airspace around Reagan National continues to pose significant challenges for even the most skilled pilots.
Less than 30 seconds before the crash, the helicopter crew had requested “visual separation,” allowing them to fly closer to the jetliner.
Controllers approved the request. Seconds later, the two aircraft collided, leaving a nation in mourning.
Similar mishap on same spot
Interestingly, 43 years ago, on January 13, 1982, Air Florida Flight 90, a Boeing 737-200, crashed into the 14th Street Bridge over the Potomac River shortly after takeoff from Washington National Airport (now Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport).
The aircraft failed to gain sufficient altitude, struck the bridge—colliding with vehicles and killing four motorists—and plunged into the icy Potomac River.
Seventy-eight people perished in the accident, including 74 of the 79 individuals on the plane.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the primary cause of the crash was pilot error.
The flight crew failed to properly de-ice the aircraft's wings and did not activate the engine anti-ice systems, leading to a loss of thrust during takeoff.
Contributing factors included the airline's inadequate training regarding winter weather operations and the pilots' decision to proceed with takeoff despite questionable conditions.
The disaster led to significant changes in airline safety protocols, particularly concerning de-icing procedures and pilot training for winter operations.
It also highlighted the importance of effective communication and decision-making in the cockpit.
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