On January 13, a devastating mid-air collision occurred near Washington DC between an American Airlines passenger plane and a US Army helicopter, resulting in the loss of 67 lives—64 on the plane and 3 on the helicopter. Tragically, all individuals involved in the crash were confirmed dead, and authorities focused their efforts on recovering bodies and wreckage rather than expecting to find survivors.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) launched an investigation into the crash, with a key focus on the black boxes from both the plane and the helicopter, which are designed to record flight data and crew actions. The black boxes were recovered from the wreckage, which ended up in the Potomac River, by January 31. These crucial pieces of evidence are aiding the investigation.
Preliminary data revealed a significant discrepancy in the altitude readings. The American Airlines plane was recorded at around 325 feet, while the military helicopter was logged at just 200 feet at the same time. Investigators are working to understand this discrepancy, hoping the helicopter’s black box will provide answers. However, retrieving data from the helicopter’s black box has been delayed due to water damage.
The passenger plane’s flight recorder showed a change in pitch before the crash, but it’s unclear whether the pilots were trying to avoid the helicopter. Some data suggests that the pilots had a verbal reaction in the final moments before impact, and the flight recorder captured sounds of the crash just before the recording ended.
As of February 1, 42 bodies had been recovered from the Potomac River, with 38 of them identified. Investigators are continuing to examine all the available data to piece together a clearer picture of the tragic event.
