The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is leading the investigation into the air disaster, said it will take time to understand what caused a mid-air collision.
"NTSB investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the Bombardier CRJ700 airplane involved in yesterday's midair collision at DCA," NTSB spokesperson Peter Knudson said.
"The recorders are at the NTSB labs for evaluation."
NTSB investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the Bombardier CRJ700 airplane involved in yesterday's mid-air collision at DCA. The recorders are at the NTSB labs for evaluation. — NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) pic.twitter.com/IHypR0Jh76January 31, 2025
At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the American Airlines regional jet late Wednesday while it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport, just across the river from Washington.
The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew members, and three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.
US President Donald Trump told a White House news conference that no one survived.
Without evidence, Trump blamed air traffic controllers, the helicopter pilots and Democratic policies at federal agencies.
"The people in the helicopter should have seen where they were going," he said.
Trump said that warnings by air traffic control were given too late.
"For some reason, you had a helicopter that was at the same height and going at an angle that was unbelievably bad."
President Trump Holds Press Briefing on Aviation Disaster — The White House (@WhiteHouse) https://t.co/uyYbkQJ9mpJanuary 30, 2025
The plane was found upside-down in three sections in waist-deep water, and first responders were searching miles of the Potomac, said John Donnelly, Washington fire chief.
The helicopter wreckage was also found. Images from the river showed boats around the partly submerged wing and the mangled wreckage of the plane's fuselage.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said the plane was making a normal approach when "the military aircraft came into the path" of the jet.
One air traffic controller was responsible for co-ordinating helicopter traffic and arriving and departing planes when the collision happened, according to a report by the Federal Aviation Administration that was obtained by The Associated Press. Those duties are often divided between two people, but the airport typically combines the roles at 9.30pm, once traffic begins to slow down.
On Wednesday the tower supervisor directed that they be combined earlier.
"The position configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic," the report said. A person familiar with the matter, however, said the tower staffing that night was at a normal level.
Rescue teams and divers combed the icy waters of Washington's Potomac River, searching for victims. (AP PHOTO)
Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff of the US Army's aviation directorate, told reporters that the instructor pilot, who was the designated pilot in command, had 1000 flying hours while the other pilot had 500 hours. The third soldier was a crew chief, typically riding in the back of the helicopter.
Koziol, a former Army aviator, said that the route over the Potomac, known as Route 4, was flown regularly by military pilots.
Koziol added that the crew members ordinarily would use visual cues and interact with air traffic control to ensure that they avoided any risk.
"This should not have been a problem," Koziol said, adding that the maximum altitude for Route 4 is (60 metres). It is unclear how high the Black Hawk was flying.
The Black Hawk crew included two male and one female soldier, an Army official said. There are female service members throughout the military, including as pilots.
"As for women in the military, flying a helicopter is like driving a car. You just got to learn how to do it and anyone can do it with the proper training," Koziol said.
The helicopter was from the 12th Aviation Battalion, which is based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The unit, which is responsible for helicopter flights in the US capital area and can be used to carry senior US government officials, will be grounded for 48 hours, Hegseth said. Reuters was first to report on the operational pause.
On Friday, China confirmed two of its nationals died in the crash and expressed "deep condolences".
China urged the US "to promptly update it on the progress of the search and rescue operations, swiftly clarify the cause of the accident and properly handle follow-up matters", a spokesperson for Beijing's foreign ministry said.
Agencies
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