Reviews of moments that led to a death accident on Wednesday involving a military helicopter and a American Airlines passenger jet discovered several failures and errors.
Under normal operating conditions, air traffic control for helicopters and planes at the National Airport by Reagan is managed by two operators. However, on Wednesday, duties were combined, leaving only one person to cope with both duties, New York Times reported.
Outlet, citing a source that was not authorized to speak publicly, noted that there is usually only one air traffic controller after 9:30 pm, but the supervisor released one early. Medieval Collision that remained 67 dead It happened just before 9pm local time.
However, the person familiar with this question explained Fox News Digital to regularly combine positions if air controllers must move away from the console for a break or if they are involved in changing the change. Controllers will also need to step down when air traffic is slow, the person explained, speaking, provided anonymity to discuss internal procedures.
Staff at the National Airport Reagan Washington was not “normal” on the collision night: FAA
Random workers recover debris from the Potomac River after a collision between the American Eagle Flight 5342 and the Black Hawk helicopter, as can be seen from Virginia on January 30, 2025. (Reuters/Carlos Barria)
More reports also indicate that the Black Hawk helicopter may have flown more than it should, putting it outside the approved flight path. The Times reported that the Black Hawk stepped down from the approved low -height flight path that would allow it to avoid a passenger aircraft. A senior army official told the socket that the Black Hawk pilots had previously flew a route and were aware of height restrictions.
President Donald Trump commented on reports in the social place of truth on Friday.
“Blackhawk helicopter flew too high, enough. He was far above a 200 -foot limit,” Trump wrote.
The search efforts show around the place of the wreckage of the deadly collision in the Mira between the Airrican Airrican Airlines and the military helicopter in Rijeka Potomac near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 31, 2025. (Alex Brandon/AP)
Times, citing a report of the Federal Air Force Administration (FAA), said air traffic control may have instructed pilots of the passenger plane to rotate to another runway as they approached the airport.
The National Transport Safety Committee (NTSB) is currently conducting an investigation into a deadly collision. NTSB member Todd Inman said on Friday Fox Business that the Agency had published “relevant facts” publicly and avoids guessing in the midst of a permanent probe.
On Friday morning, Defense Minister Hegsetth spoke with “Fox & Friends” about a fatal collision, calling him “completely unacceptable.” Hegsetth emphasized that Black Hawk’s black box, which has yet to recover, will give the key insights into internal communication.
“We look at the altitude … Someone was at the wrong altitude. The investigation will help us understand it – was Black Hawk too high? Was it on the road? We don’t know right now,” Hegsetth said.
The crew, in Rijeka Potomac, Washington, DC, January 30, 2025, retrieved the flight of flight 5342 in Rijeka Potomac, Washington, DC, January 30, 2025. (Leigh Green for Fox News Digital)
Hegsetth also called for a priority of merit over the “background” in the midst of the speculation that policies of diversity, equality and inclusion (dei) played a role in the collision. Some, including President TrumpThey wondered if those who were working on air traffic control were engaged on the basis of dei goals, not professional qualifications.
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President Trump said on Thursday that the deadly collision was to the middle extent “the mouth of the bad decisions that were made, and you have people who lost their lives, violently lost their lives.”
Greg Wehner and Grady Trimble contributed to this report.
