Recent D.C. Crash Involves American Airlines Jet and U.S. Army Black Hawk Helicopter
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The recent crash in Washington, D.C., involved a regional American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, which collided over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan National Airport. This incident occurred in a congested airspace shared by both commercial jets and military helicopters.The American Airlines flight, numbered 5342, was a regional jet operated by PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines. The flight had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and was approaching the runway at Reagan National Airport when the collision happened. The jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. The Black Hawk helicopter, part of the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir, was on a training flight and had three soldiers on board.The collision occurred around 8:48 p.m. on Wednesday night. Air traffic recordings indicate that air traffic controllers had asked the helicopter crew if they had the plane in sight and instructed them to pass behind the landing aircraft. The helicopter crew confirmed they had the plane in sight and requested visual separation, which was approved. However, shortly after this exchange, a commotion was heard on the audio, and controllers began diverting other aircraft away from the disaster scene.Emergency response teams, including the D.C. Fire and EMS Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, and the U.S. Coast Guard, were quickly deployed. Despite the challenging conditions of dark and cold weather, rescue efforts continued diligently. Fireboats were on the scene shortly after the crash, and about 300 emergency personnel were involved in the search and rescue operations.
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As of the latest updates, 19 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, and authorities are still searching for survivors. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has taken the lead in investigating the incident, with assistance from local, state, and federal authorities. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has also launched a preliminary investigation, which found that the jet involved was a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet.The crash has had significant impacts on air travel in the region, with Reagan National Airport halting all takeoffs and landings until 11 a.m. Thursday. The Washington Metro Area Transit Authority has also provided support by sending warming buses to assist rescue teams and running extra Silver Line trains to help with diverted flights.