Tue, 04 Feb 2025

Remains of all 67 people killed in D.C. aircraft collision recovered, officials say

The bodies of all 67 people killed in the collision of an American Airlines regional jet with an Army helicopter have been recovered, officials said Tuesday.

* The remains of all 67 people killed in the collision between an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter have been recovered.
* 66 out of the 67 bodies have been identified.
* The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, which revealed that the helicopter was flying at around 300 feet when it collided with the plane.
* This is above the maximum altitude allowed by Federal Aviation Administration rules, but the NTSB says more information will be available once the Black Hawk's wreckage is recovered from the water.
* The collision occurred when the American Airlines Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, was seconds away from landing at Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C.
* All 64 people on board the plane and three military crew members on the helicopter were killed in the crash.
* Investigators are still probing the cause of the collision and have interviewed air traffic controllers who were working that night.
* The NTSB has recovered data recorders from both aircraft, but synchronization work for the Black Hawk's recorder is ongoing.
* The Federal Aviation Administration has restricted helicopters from flying in the area near the airport indefinitely.
* American Airlines CEO Robert Isom has announced a moment of silence on Wednesday to mark one week since the crash.
* The airline's CARE Team, made up of 2,000 volunteer employees, is providing support to victims' families and coordinating logistics.
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