67 Dead In Deadliest US Air Disaster In A Quarter Century After Helicopter And Jetliner Collision

A tragic midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight resulted in the deaths of all 67 people aboard the two aircraft, making it the deadliest aviation disaster in the United States in nearly 25 years. Officials have been scrutinizing the actions of the military pilot and reported that control tower staffing was “not normal” at the time of the collision.

Details of the Collision

The incident occurred late Wednesday as the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the jet while it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport, located just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew members, while three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.

At least 28 bodies were recovered from the icy waters of the Potomac River. The wreckage of the plane was found upside down in three sections in waist-deep water, and first responders were searching an area of the river as far south as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. The helicopter wreckage was also located, with images showing boats around the partly submerged wing and the mangled fuselage of the plane.

Investigations and Causes

A report by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that one air traffic controller was performing tasks normally assigned to two people in the tower. “The position configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” the report said.

President Donald Trump announced at a White House news conference that no one survived the collision. “We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” said John Donnelly, the fire chief in the nation’s capital.

Officials stated that flight conditions were clear as the jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas. “On final approach into Reagan National, it collided with a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach,” said American Airlines CEO Robert Isom.

A top Army aviation official, Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation, described the Black Hawk crew as “very experienced” and familiar with the congested flying around Washington. He noted that both pilots had flown the specific route before, at night, and emphasized the need to analyze flight data before making conclusions about altitude.

Reactions and Responses

The collision occurred in some of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, just over three miles south of the White House and the Capitol. American Airlines Flight 5342 was inbound to Reagan National at an altitude of about 400 feet and a speed of about 140 mph when it rapidly lost altitude over the Potomac.

The mood inside Reagan National Airport was somber as stranded passengers waited for flights to resume. Aster Andemicael, who was at the airport with her elderly father, expressed her devastation, saying, “I’ve been crying since yesterday. This is devastating.”

The Deadliest Crash Since 2001

Wednesday’s crash was the deadliest in the U.S. since November 12, 2001, when an American Airlines flight crashed into a residential area of Belle Harbor, New York, killing all 260 people aboard. The last major fatal crash involving a U.S. commercial airline occurred in 2009 near Buffalo, New York, killing everyone aboard the plane and one person on the ground.

Passengers on the ill-fated flight included a group of figure skaters, their coaches, and family members who were returning from a development camp that followed the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. Among them were Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who had won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed in the Olympics.

The crash also devastated Wichita, Kansas, a major hub for the aircraft industry. Several hundred people gathered for a prayer vigil led by Mayor Lily Wu and religious leaders.

The midair collision between the Army helicopter and the American Airlines jetliner has left a profound impact on the affected communities and highlighted the inherent risks of air travel. As investigations continue, authorities seek to understand the factors leading to this tragic incident and prevent similar occurrences in the future.

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