Divers revisited the Potomac River on Friday to assist in the recovery and investigation following a tragic midair collision that claimed the lives of 67 individuals, marking the deadliest aviation incident in the United States in nearly 25 years.
The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the American Airlines aircraft involved in the collision with an army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport have been retrieved by investigators. Subsequently, the recorder from the helicopter has also been recovered.
As investigations unfold, authorities are scrutinizing the actions of the military pilot and air traffic control personnel, with no definitive statements on the cause of the collision made by officials from the various agencies conducting the probe.
Efforts are ongoing to locate the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter’s recorder, as mentioned by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during a Fox News Channel interview on Friday. The altitude of the helicopter and the use of night vision goggles by the crew remain focal points of the inquiry.
Law enforcement officials, speaking anonymously, disclosed that over 40 bodies have been retrieved from the water.
The passenger plane, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, collided with the helicopter carrying three soldiers. The Federal Aviation Administration’s report highlighted that one air traffic controller was managing both helicopter traffic and incoming/outgoing planes during the collision, deviating from standard procedures.
Noteworthy is the FAA’s historical struggle with a shortage of air traffic controllers. The crash occurred under clear flight conditions as the jet landed from Wichita, Kan. The helicopter crew, experienced in navigating the busy airspace around the city, had previously flown the route.
Navigating the airspace around Reagan National Airport can be challenging due to the high volume of air traffic, including commercial planes, military aircraft, and restricted zones near sensitive sites.
Air crash investigations can be lengthy, with data retrieval and analysis processes crucial in piecing together the events leading to such tragedies. The importance of properly handling and decoding flight recorders to extract relevant information is underscored by experts.
Wednesday’s midair collision ranks as the deadliest aviation incident in the U.S. since November 2001, emphasizing the rarity of such catastrophic events in air travel safety records.
