Investigators are diligently working to determine the events that led to the tragic crash involving an American Airlines plane and a military helicopter last week (January 29), resulting in the deaths of 67 individuals.
This incident marks the most catastrophic crash in the United States since 2001, involving American Airlines Flight 5432 and an Army Black Hawk that collided midair as the plane was making its approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia, last Wednesday.
Both aircraft subsequently crashed into the Potomac River, where recovery operations have been underway.
Today (February 5), officials have confirmed the recovery of all 67 bodies from the crash, comprising 60 passengers, four crew members from the commercial jet, and three military personnel from the helicopter. All but one of the victims have been identified.
The recovery of wreckage from the crash site is ongoing, with investigators hoping that data from the black boxes of both aircraft will provide essential insights into the cause of the collision.
Here’s the information we have at this point…
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has verified that the black boxes from both aircraft have been recovered ‘in good condition.’
Preliminary flight data indicates a discrepancy between the altitude readings of American Airlines Flight 5342 and the military helicopter at the time of the crash.
According to the NTSB, the flight recorder from the plane showed it was maintaining an altitude of roughly 325 feet, with a margin of error of 25 feet.
Conversely, data from the air traffic control tower indicated the military helicopter was flying at about 200 feet when it collided with the plane, leaving a 100-foot discrepancy that remains unexplained.
Efforts are underway to remove moisture from the helicopter’s black box, which was retrieved from the Potomac River on Thursday.
The NTSB has confirmed the recovery of the black box, and analysis is expected to commence shortly.
Investigators are hopeful that data from the Black Hawk’s black box will help resolve the conflicting altitude readings.
The cockpit voice recorder from the plane has also been recovered and is currently being analyzed in a laboratory, as stated by the NTSB on Friday.
Additionally, audio from air traffic control revealed that the helicopter pilot had reported visual contact with the passenger plane and requested permission to maneuver around it by sight, without further ground control assistance, according to Sky News.
The helicopter’s pilot had taken the initiative to navigate around the plane, assuming responsibility for maintaining a visual on the aircraft to avoid a collision.
This request followed a query from an air traffic controller inquiring if the pilot could see the commercial jet.
On Monday, salvage crews successfully retrieved one of the two jet engines from the Potomac River, along with a large section of the plane’s exterior, according to officials. Efforts to recover a wing of the plane are also underway.
The NTSB announced last week that a preliminary report regarding the fatal crash will be published within 30 days.
CBS News has reported that there was only one person managing air traffic control during the crash, whereas typically two individuals oversee air traffic for helicopters and planes in the area.
Steven Wallace, former director of the FAA’s Office of Accident Investigation, expressed confidence to CNN that the cause of the crash will soon become clear.
“We have radar data, we have eyewitnesses, and we have all the wreckage,” he stated.
“There’s nothing missing.”