ARLINGTON, Va. — On Friday morning, police boats resumed their search along the Potomac River, meticulously scanning the banks as part of the inquiry into a tragic midair collision that resulted in the deaths of 67 individuals, marking the worst aviation disaster in the United States in nearly 25 years.
Over 40 bodies have already been retrieved from the river as the extensive recovery endeavor is still ongoing, as disclosed by two law enforcement officials who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the investigation.
Despite the rainy and overcast conditions, crews were engaged in recovery operations on Friday. Meanwhile, Reagan National Airport continued its normal flight operations, gradually recovering from a wave of flight cancellations and delays that followed the accident.
Researchers have successfully obtained both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the American Airlines aircraft that collided with an Army helicopter on Wednesday night while attempting to land at the Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C. Authorities are currently examining a variety of factors surrounding the incident, which National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Hommendy classified as an “all-hands-on-deck event.”
All individuals on board both the airplane and the helicopter perished, prompting scrutiny of the military pilot’s maneuvers and air traffic control decisions, particularly since the helicopter seemed to have entered the flight path of the American Airlines aircraft.
Typically, air crash investigations require 12 to 18 months to reach conclusions, and investigators indicated they would refrain from speculating on the cause of this collision.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated on Fox News Channel on Friday that authorities are still in search of the helicopter’s black box recorder. Investigations are also looking into the helicopter’s altitude at the time of the collision and whether the crew utilized night vision equipment.
In the aftermath of the crash, the Federal Aviation Administration opted to impose an indefinite restriction on most helicopters from using low-altitude routes that run beneath or parallel to the airport’s flight paths, as revealed by an official who spoke under anonymity due to regulations against discussing the matter publicly.
Military aircraft frequently engage in such flights around the nation’s capital for training related to potential crisis management scenarios, which may involve moving key officials if necessary. Hegseth highlighted that training should reflect real-world conditions while also stressing the importance of minimizing risks during such exercises.
The ill-fated aircraft had 60 passengers and four crew members on board, while the helicopter had three soldiers.
According to a report from the FAA, the collision occurred when one air traffic controller was tasked with managing helicopter traffic alongside incoming and outgoing flights. Normally, this responsibility is divided between two controllers, but for time efficiency, the airport merges the roles around 9:30 p.m. once traffic diminishes. On the night of the accident, the tower supervisor decided to combine those roles earlier than usual.
Though the report indicated that this staffing configuration was not typical for that hour, another source stated that the staffing was adequate on that particular night. It’s common to merge positions temporarily when controllers take breaks, during shift changes, or in quieter traffic periods, according to the insider, who also spoke anonymously regarding internal practices.
Historically, the FAA has faced challenges with a shortage of air traffic controllers, contributing to ongoing issues in flight coordination.
Weather conditions during the flight were clear, and the American Airlines jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas, carrying a group of aspiring young figure skaters along with their families and coaches, alongside four steamfitters from the Washington area.
An Army aviation official noted that the helicopter crew, operating a Black Hawk, was well-experienced and familiar with the notoriously busy airspace surrounding the capital.
“Both pilots had successfully flown this specific route at night before,” said Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation.
The Black Hawk was required to maintain its altitude at a maximum of 200 feet. It remains uncertain if the helicopter exceeded this limit, but Hegseth acknowledged that altitude likely contributed to the collision. Koziol added that flight data analysis would be necessary before any determinations could be made regarding altitude issues.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, President Donald Trump indicated on Friday morning that the helicopter was “flying too high” at the time of the incident, claiming it was significantly above the 200-foot regulation. His remarks followed questioning about the pilot’s actions, during which he also controversially attributed air safety concerns to diversity initiatives.
Flights at Reagan National resumed a little after noon on Thursday. The recent crash is reported as the deadliest in the nation since November 12, 2001, when an American Airlines flight crashed into a residential area in Belle Harbor, New York, shortly after its departure from Kennedy Airport, claiming all 260 lives aboard and causing additional fatalities on the ground.
The most recent major fatal crash involving a U.S. commercial airline occurred in 2009 near Buffalo, New York, resulting in the deaths of all passengers and crew on a Bombardier DHC-8 propeller aircraft, as well as one ground casualty, bringing the total toll to 50.
Despite this incident, experts consistently affirm that air travel remains exceptionally safe. The National Safety Council estimates that the odds of dying in a motor vehicle accident are 1 in 93, while incidents involving fatalities on airplanes occur so infrequently that calculating the odds becomes impractical. Similar statistics gathered from the Department of Transportation echo these findings.
However, the airspace around Reagan National poses challenges even for seasoned pilots, who must carefully navigate thousands of commercial flights, military aircraft, and restricted zones surrounding sensitive government buildings.
Remarkably, a little over 24 hours prior to the tragic event, a separate regional jet had to abort its landing at Reagan National due to the presence of a nearby military helicopter. After a successful second attempt, that flight landed safely moments later.
