American Airways jet collides with army helicopter close to D.C. airport

An American Airways regional jet with 64 folks aboard collided with a Black Hawk army helicopter moments earlier than the airplane was set to land at Washington D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport on Wednesday night time, the Federal Aviation Administration mentioned. The accident seemed to be the worst air catastrophe within the U.S. in additional than 15 years.

American Eagle Flight 5342, a PSA Airways Bombardier CRJ700 regional jetliner, was on method into the airport’s Runway 33 when it collided with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter at round 9 p.m. ET, the FAA mentioned. The flight was arriving from Wichita, Kansas and was flying at an altitude of about 300 ft on the time of the collision, based on FlightRadar24.

PSA Airways is an American Airways subsidiary and certainly one of its regional carriers. American Eagle is how the airline manufacturers its regional flights.

American CEO Robert Isom mentioned in a video message Wednesday night time that he would journey to Washington D.C. together with a “go-team” from the airline.

Sixty passengers and 4 crew members had been on board the American flight, the airline mentioned.

“Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the plane,” American mentioned in an announcement. “We’re involved with authorities and aiding with emergency response efforts.”

The airline supplied contact data if “you consider you will have family members on board Flight 5342.”

Reagan Washington Nationwide was closed Wednesday by means of no less than 11 a.m. ET Thursday.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was sworn in on Tuesday, in a press convention referred to as the accident a “tragedy.”

Each plane had been within the chilly waters of the Potomac, and rescue staff had been dealing with difficult circumstances like excessive wind.

The U.S. Military confirmed that the second plane was an Military helicopter out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, saying in an announcement: “We’re working with native officers and can present further data as soon as it turns into out there.”

A U.S. army official later added the helicopter was out on a “coaching flight.”

Officers declined to deal with casualties through the press convention, which came about within the early hours of Thursday morning. NBC News4 in Washington reported rescue staff had been pulling our bodies from the river within the hours after the crash, citing two sources near the investigation.

The U.S. has had an extended stretch with out deadly industrial airline crashes. The final U.S. industrial passenger airline crash occurred in February 2009 when Continental Flight 3407 crashed right into a home because it was arriving in Buffalo, New York, killing all 49 folks aboard and one individual on the bottom.

The crash of that turboprop airplane prompted federal laws requiring extra relaxation and coaching for pilots.

The FAA and Nationwide Transportation Security Board are investigating Wednesday’s incident.

President Donald Trump mentioned he was briefed on the accident Wednesday.

“Thanks for the unimaginable work being finished by our first responders,” he mentioned in an announcement.

The Federal Aviation Administration doesn’t have a everlasting head. Former Administrator Mike Whitaker stepped down on Jan. 20, when Trump took workplace. Trump hasn’t but named a nominee.

“We’re shocked and saddened by the tragic accident at DCA tonight,” mentioned the Air Line Pilots Affiliation, a pilot union. “Our ideas are with these affected by this tragedy and ALPA’s accident investigation workforce is responding to help the Nationwide Transportation Security Board of their investigation.”

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