On Wednesday night, a passenger airliner struck a helicopter in midair close to Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington, DC, killing an estimated sixty-seven persons.
The cause of the crash, which is under investigation, is unknown. The flight data recorders from the copyright aircraft have been found by authorities, and they are still looking for victims in the frozen Potomac River where the plane crashed.
Information is starting to surface regarding the 64 passengers on the aircraft, including four crew members and professional figure skaters. Three soldiers were on the chopper at the time.
What took place?
The Bombardier CRJ700 aircraft had come from Wichita, Kansas. copyright flight 5342 was in operation.
B Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, piloted the US Army helicopter, a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk, which took off from Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
Based on investigation by CBS News, the BBC's US partner, the helicopter seems to have been flying over the allowed altitude.
In the seconds prior to the collision, a controller may have attempted to alert the chopper about the copyright aircraft, according to online recordings of air traffic control discussions.
The two aircraft collided shortly after the helicopter pilot seemed to react to establish that they were aware of the plane. Sean Duffy, the transport secretary, added that he believed the helicopter knew the jet was close.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth joined Duffy at a briefing on Thursday, adding that the crew was wearing night-vision goggles and that the helicopter was doing a night review as part of an annual competency trip.
As the aircraft neared Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the incident occurred at approximately 21:00 local time (02:00 GMT).
The jet appeared to be approaching normally, according to one witness, Ari Schulman, who told NBC Washington that he thought it looked "very, very wrong" when he saw it bank hard to the right and had "streams of sparks" shining underneath the craft, exposing its belly.
Jimmy Mazeo, another witness, claimed to have seen what seemed to be a "white flare" in the sky. He said the aircraft seemed to have been flying in "irregular patterns" as they approached the airport.
The helicopter wound up upside down on the water after the accident, while the passenger plane split into many pieces and sank several feet into the river.
To look for survivors, hundreds of first responders were sent out in rubber boats. Officials emphasized the difficult working conditions they were in because of the ice floating on the icy river and the plane debris.
They subsequently stated that they had refocused their mission to concentrate on rescuing bodies because they did not anticipate finding any survivors.
What is the number of victims?
According to the most recent official report, 28 dead have been found at the location thus far.
Top figure skaters, a young pilot, flight attendants, and a lawyer returning home on her birthday are among the individuals confirmed to have been on the aircraft.
They represent a variety of nationalities, some of which have been recognized by organizations and family members.
Among the skaters were six individuals connected to a Boston club. According to the club, they were two teenagers, their moms, and two Russian coaches who had previously won world titles in their respective sports: Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova.
Jonathan Campos, the plane's captain, was named by his aunt, who told the New York Times that her nephew had always wanted to fly airplanes.
According to CBS, Ryan O'Hara was the helicopter's crew chief.
How far along is the investigation?
The reason behind the crash is yet unknown. The data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder, also referred to as the "black boxes," were recovered from the aircraft by officials, who will investigate potential causes, such as human error.
Thursday marked the start of the first full day of the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) inquiry, which is expected to produce a preliminary findings within 30 days.
According to Hegseth, he anticipated that the inquiry will determine whether the helicopter was operating at the proper altitude and channel.
According to NTSB authorities on Thursday, the chopper seemed to make a routine maneuver as it moved from one lane to another.
According to the New York Times, which cited an early Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) study, the air traffic control staffing was "not normal" at the time, while the official investigation is still ongoing.
According to the NYT and CBS, only one person was apparently operating the helicopters and airplanes in the vicinity at the time of the disaster, although normally two individuals do so.
CNN and the Washington Post have also reported that a helicopter approached the flight path of another jet, forcing it to abort its landing at the airport barely 24 hours before to the fatal tragedy.
What did President Trump say?
President Trump stated the nation was "in mourning" during a press conference on Thursday before attacking his political rivals.
Without providing proof, he conjectured that the catastrophe might have been caused in part by the FAA's relaxed recruiting practices for air traffic controllers under Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
Trump recognized that the inquiry was still in its early stages but stated that he and his team had "strong opinions and ideas" about what had transpired.
Additionally, he said that Chris Rocheleau will be named the FAA's temporary leader. Since Trump entered office, the top post there has been unfilled, as have the administrator and deputy administrator roles.
What is the record for air safety in America?
In the United States, such large-scale incidents are rather uncommon. According to a list collected by Reuters, the most recent comparable crash occurred in 2009.
All 49 persons on board and one person on the ground were killed when an airplane crashed near Buffalo, New York, that year as it was about to land.
Above Washington, DC, the airspace is crowded and strictly regulated. Two airports serve both local and international travel, and there are additional variables including flights around the Pentagon, considerable military traffic, and presidential flights.
Sean Dilley, a transport correspondent for the BBC, stated that passenger airlines are required to adhere to set flight schedules. Military pilots follow stringent instructions from air traffic controllers, unlike in uncontrolled airspace. They are required to "see and avoid" other aircraft, but they are also able to veer off course, unlike their civilian counterparts.