Captain Jonathan Campos and First Officer Samuel Lilley, faced with an impending collision at 140mph with a military helicopter, made an urgent effort to avert disaster, according to data records.
On the evening of Wednesday, January 29, at 8:47 PM Eastern Time, a PSA Airlines jet, a subsidiary of American Airlines, was involved in a collision with a Black Hawk helicopter engaged in a training mission with three US soldiers aboard.
The aircraft, carrying 60 passengers and a crew of four, was on its route from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington D.C. when the tragic mid-air collision occurred. This happened as Flight 5342 was making its approach to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
This catastrophic event marked the deadliest aviation accident in the United States since 2001, and the first significant plane crash in 16 years. The debris from both the helicopter and the airplane fell into the Potomac River, prompting a swift response from 300 emergency personnel. Sadly, there were no survivors.
Recent data from the aircraft’s black box reveals that Captain Campos, aged 34, and his co-pilot Lilley, aged 28, attempted to elevate the plane in the seconds leading up to the collision.
“At one point very close to the impact, there was a slight change in pitch, an increase in pitch,” Todd Inman, an official from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), mentioned during a press briefing on Saturday, February 1.
According to the safety board, preliminary data from the plane’s flight recorder showed a discrepancy with the control tower’s records regarding the aircraft’s altitude during the collision (reported by CNN).
The flight recorder indicated an altitude of approximately 325 feet at the time of impact, whereas the control tower logged the helicopter at 200 feet.
Ongoing investigations are considering the possibility that if the crash happened at 325 feet, the helicopter might have been flying above the permitted maximum altitude for helicopters in that area, which is set at 200 feet.
Inman noted that while they lack data from the helicopter, “obviously an impact occurred, and I would say when an impact occurs, that is typically where the altitude of both aircraft were at the moment.”
Before the crash, Campos had a brief conversation with his uncle.
His uncle, John Lane, shared with MailOnline that they spoke “for 10 minutes” as Campos was boarding the plane, during which he “sounded really happy.”
Lane said, “I can’t believe it. He sounded really happy. He was looking forward to going on a cruise next week on the Icon of the Seas, the cruise ship.”
“Ten family members were going to fly to Florida to take the trip with him. It was going to be a big celebration.”
In response to the incident, American Airlines released a statement: “American Eagle Flight 5342 en-route from Wichita, Kansas (ICT), to Washington, D.C. (DCA) was involved in an accident at DCA. The flight was operated by PSA Airlines with a CRJ-700.”
“There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the aircraft. Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts.”
“If you believe you may have loved ones on board Flight 5342, call American Airlines toll-free at 800-679-8215. Those calling from outside the U.S. can visit news.aa.com for additional phone numbers. Family members in Canada, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands can call 800-679-8215 directly.”
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