American Airlines Flight and Army Helicopter collides over Potomac – NBC4 Washington

On By Littum

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An American Airlines flight and a military helicopter collided and crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night, DC four and EMS confirmed. First respondents

Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asks the helicopter if it has the arriving aircraft in sight: “Pat25, have you crj in sight?” with reference to the passenger aircraft.

The controller makes another radio call for PAT25 moments later: “Pat 25 passes behind crj.”

The two aircraft collide seconds later.

Video from Web Camera Network Earthcam shows the moment of the collision. It shows a great flash by influence.

The sound from flight tracking places does not detect any response from the helicopter, if any, to the warnings from flight control.

The aircraft’s radio transponder stopped transferring approx. 2,400 feet (730 meters) shortly after the runway, about the middle of the river.

The airline had about 60 people on board. Three people were aboard the helicopter. More than a dozen bodies have been recovered, the sources say. At least four people have been recovered and were rushed to hospitals. A hectic search and rescue effort to find victims in the river is underway.

The water temperature was approx. 35 ° at the time of the crash, Storm Team4’s Doug chambers said. At that temperature, someone has 15 to 20 minutes before suffering from hypothermia, he said.

No official word about death

Officials who held a press conference in Reagan National Airport did not announce any death, but they all had a gloomy tone.

Senator Roger Marshall from Kansas said “When a person dies it is a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die, it is an unbearable grief.”

DC Mayor Muriel Bowser would not say if any bodies were recovered from the crash.

“I can’t say anything about the rescue operation right now,” she said.

When asked if there are any survivors, DC Fire and EMS chief John A. Donnelly replied: “We don’t know yet. But we work. “

The medical investigative office is preparing for the biggest improvement of bodies they have been handling for decades, a source told News4.

A FAA Declaration says: “A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 Regional Jet collided in Midair with a Sikorsky H-60 ​​helicopter while on the approach to runway 33 in Reagan Washington National Airport around 21 Local (Eastern) Time. PSA Operated Flight 5342 as American airlines.

President Donald Trump says he has been informed of the “horrible accident” in Reagan National Airport.

In a statement late Wednesday, Trump thanked the first respondents for their “incredible work”, noting that he “monitored the situation and will give more details when they arise.”

“May God bless their souls,” he added.

In a post about truth, Trump questioned the tactics of the military helicopter and air traffic controllers – both agencies reporting to him as president.

Writing that “the airplane was on a perfect and routine approach line for a long period” on a “clear night”, Trump asked, “why didn’t the helicopter go up or turned” and “Why didn’t it do the control tower tells the helicopter , what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane.

“What a terrible evening this has been. God bless you all! “He added in a subsequent post.

First respondents from all over DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia participate in search efforts

A massive emergency response is unfolded. Fireboats are in the water and the Metropolitan Police Department also responded.

There are currently about 300 respondents working on the rescue operation

DC Fire and EMS chief Donnelly said at the early Thursday news conference that conditions are “extremely rough for the respondents” with cold weather and intense wind.

The Potomac River is about 8 meters deep, where the plane crashed after their collision.

“The water is dark. It’s cloudy, ”Connelly said.

Fire departments from all over the region staged at Gravelly Point north of Reagan National. News4 video shows a sea of ​​fire trucks, ambulances and police cars on the banks of Potomac.

A senior FBI official says the Washington Field Office staff are standing to help, but there is nothing indicating anything criminal or terror -related was involved in the crash.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she would implement all available resources from the US Coast Guard for Search and Rescue Efforts.

“We are actively monitoring the situation and are ready to support local respondents,” Noem said in a post at X.

All starts and landings were stopped at Reagan National, which will remain closed until at least at. 11 Friday. Nineteen aircraft were redirected to Dulles International Airport.

Few said it, and NTSB will investigate where NTSB leads the investigation.

Stay at News4 and Nbcwashington.com for updates to this breaking story.

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