Sat, 01 Feb 2025

Crash investigators looking at altitude, communication and staffing before helicopter collision with plane

The NTSB is continuing its investigation into how an American Airlines regional jetliner collided midair with a Black Hawk military helicopter.

* A helicopter collided with an American Airlines jetliner over the Potomac River on Wednesday night, killing all 64 people on board both aircraft.
* The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the crash, which has recovered a flight recorder from the helicopter and two recorders from the airplane.
* Air traffic controllers, including the one on duty at the time of the crash, have been interviewed as part of the investigation.
* The FAA will restrict helicopter traffic around Reagan National Airport due to the high concentration of air traffic in the area.
* Two out of three runways at the airport are closed due to their proximity to the crash site and are expected to remain closed for about a week.
* More than 100 flights have been canceled on Friday due to runway closures and bad weather.
* The NTSB is still gathering information and has not drawn any conclusions about the cause of the collision.
* President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have both suggested that the helicopter was flying too high, above the 200-foot limit.
* An investigation into air traffic controllers' past performance and training will be conducted as part of the investigation.
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