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“Crash, crash, crash”: At least 19 dead as civilian jet collides midair with US Army chopper

“Crash, crash, crash”: At least 19 dead as civilian jet collides midair with US Army chopper

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Virendra Pandit

 

New Delhi: Amid early reports that at least 19 bodies have been recovered and several are still feared trapped in the debris, an aviation crash on Thursday shook the world when an American Airlines jet collided midair with a US Army helicopter in Washington DC.

“Crash, crash, crash, this is an alert three,” one of the air traffic controllers could be heard saying just before the accident, the media reported.

American Airlines, whose regional subsidiary PSA Airlines operated the Bombardier CRJ-700, confirmed that 60 passengers and four crew members were on board the aircraft.

The US Army said the helicopter, carrying three soldiers, was engaged in a “training flight.”

According to reports, a US passenger jet carrying 64 people on board crashed into the Potomac River, bordering the airport, after a midair collision with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter during a nighttime training exercise. The accident occurred at around 9:00 PM (0200 GMT) on Wednesday as the aircraft was making its final approach to Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport, considered the “most difficult one” in aviation circles, following its departure from Wichita, Kansas.

Less than 30 seconds before the collision, an air traffic controller at the airport issued a call to the military helicopter: “PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight?” Moments later, another directive was given: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.”

There was no response from the helicopter. Seconds later, the two aircraft collided. A pilot observing the incident made an urgent call over the radio: “Tower, did you see that?”

Audio from LiveATC.net, a repository for in-flight recording, captured the final communications between the crew members of the military chopper.

Authorities launched a large-scale search and rescue operation immediately after the crash. Emergency crews, numbering more than 300 personnel, were deployed to the scene. 

US President Donald Trump issued an official statement expressing condolences for the victims. However, within hours, Trump took to social media, criticizing air traffic control procedures.

In a statement, he said he had been “fully briefed on the terrible accident” and that he was monitoring the situation. “May God Bless their souls,” Trump said. “Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders.” 

“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing,” he wrote on Truth Social.

“Why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn? Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane? This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”

Following the collision, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a temporary grounding of all flights at Reagan National Airport.

American Airlines, in a video statement, expressed “deep sorrow” over the incident, while US Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas described the crash as “nothing short of a nightmare.”

Aviation experts and investigators are now scrutinizing how a modern passenger jet equipped with collision-avoidance technology could collide with a military aircraft in one of the most closely monitored airspaces in the country.

Washington’s airspace is known for its congestion, with civilian aircraft frequently flying at low altitudes over the city while military and government helicopters operate at various elevations throughout the day and night. The presence of multiple aircraft types in such limited airspace is now a focal point of the investigation.

In a statement on social media, American Airlines acknowledged reports that American Eagle Flight 5342, operated by PSA, was involved in an incident while traveling from Wichita, Kansas (ICT), to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA).  

“American Eagle Flight 5342 en route from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington, DC (DCA) was involved in an accident at DCA. The flight was operated by PSA Airlines with a CRJ-700. There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the aircraft,” BBC quoted an American Airlines statement. 

Authorities launched a search and rescue operation in the river. In response to the emergency, the airport temporarily suspended all takeoffs and landings. 

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the incident and gathering more details. 

No fatal US passenger plane crash has been reported since February 2009, but a series of near-miss incidents in recent years have sparked serious safety concerns. 

 

 

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