Military studies helicopter flight before midair collision

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Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth Associated Press / Photo by Alex Brandon

Military studies helicopter flight before midair collision

Update, 3:45 p.m.:

The U.S. Department of Defense on Thursday pored over flight information of the U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter involved in Wednesday night’s fatal airplane crash. Three service members were aboard the helicopter, which was affiliated with Bravo Company of the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Va., Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said. The flight crew was experienced and had night vision goggles while conducting a required annual night evaluation, he said.

Who were the aviators? Hegseth said Thursday morning that not all the crew’s next of kin had been notified and so the military was continuing to withhold the names of the deceased. The 12th Aviation Battalion will not operate its aircraft for the next two days, and aviation safety officials from the Pentagon were on the ground in Washington investigating the incident, Hegseth said.

President Donald Trump Associated Press / Photo by Jacquelyn Martin

Update, 3:10 p.m.:

President blames low standards, DEI for airplane crash

President Donald Trump confirmed on Thursday that there were no survivors from the crash. He offered family members and loved ones of the deceased his condolences and prayers. Officials did not know for certain what led to the crash, but they certainly had strong opinions about what may have caused it, Trump said. The federal government will conduct a systematic investigation, he said.

What were some of the strong opinions individuals had? Trump claimed to have raised the standards for air traffic controllers during his first term in the Oval Office. He accused former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden of lowering the standards for air traffic controllers while they were each in the White House. Because Biden and Obama failed to maintain high standards air traffic become unsafe, Trump claimed. The current president accused the former presidents of neglecting high standards to instead focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Trump recently signed an executive order to close the offices of federal DEI programs.

How have others reacted to the president’s remarks? Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said later Trump’s comments were despicable. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said it was inappropriate for the nation’s leader to throw around idle speculation while bodies were still being recovered. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., echoed Schumer’s criticism, calling Trump’s rhetoric disgusting.

Search and rescue efforts are seen around a wreckage site in the Potomac River on Thursday. Associated Press / Photo by Mark Schiefelbein

Original post, 8:45 a.m.:

No survivors in D.C. plane, helicopter crash, says official

Search teams transitioned from rescue operations to recovery operations just hours after an American Airlines plane crashed into a military Blackhawk helicopter, Washington, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly Sr. said on Thursday. By morning, responders recovered 28 bodies from both aircraft from the Potomac and they did not believe there were any survivors, Donnelly said. One body was recovered from the military helicopter and 27 bodies from the passenger jet, he said.

Authorities planned to continue work on recovering any remaining bodies and reuniting them with their loved ones. About 300 personnel who responded to the crash encountered frigid conditions, high winds, and ice on the river, Donnelly said. The next phase of the operation would be led by the National Transportation Safety Board, but several agencies would be involved in recovery operations, he said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration, the FAA said.

What happened? An American Airlines flight from Witchita, Kan. carrying 64 people crashed into a military Blackhawk helicopter, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said. The helicopter was carrying three servicemembers, according to U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. The crash occurred while the plane was coming in for landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport, just south of the capital city. Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority CEO John Potter said that the airport would reopen at 11 a.m. after closing last night following the crash.

Dig deeper: Read Travis K. Kircher’s report from last night about the crash and the immediate rescue response.