“Investigators Confirm Recovery of All Major Aircraft Debris from Washington DC Mid-Air Collision” | US News
Safety officials report that all significant wreckage from the passenger plane and US army helicopter involved in a mid-air collision in Washington DC last week has now been retrieved.
The tragic disaster on January 29 resulted in the deaths of sixty-seven individuals, with both aircraft ending up in the Potomac River. The remains of all victims have been accounted for, with no survivors emerging from the tragedy.
Recovery teams are actively working to salvage the wreckage of the American Airlines plane and the Black Hawk helicopter.
Wreckage from the collision. Pic: NTSB
The black boxes have been located, and crash debris is currently being housed in a hangar in Arlington, Virginia, as the investigation proceeds.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated: “Investigators will be examining witness marks on the aircraft that might provide insights into the collision angle.”
On Saturday, a laser-equipped plane conducted a low flyover of the accident site, scanning the riverbed. Crews are expected to take the coming days to search for smaller debris, aiming to conclude recovery operations in about a week.
During the accident, American Airlines Flight 5342 was approaching its landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, while the Sikorsky helicopter was engaged in a training exercise with three pilots on board.
Read more:
Information about the victims
Details on the helicopter pilot, a former White House aide
Helicopter was ‘above limit’
The flight recorder of the jet indicated it was flying at an altitude of 325 feet (99 meters), with a margin of error of 25 feet (7.6 meters).
The helicopter was operating at 300 feet (91 meters), which exceeded the allowable limit for that route by 100 feet (30.5 meters), as per the NTSB.
The recovered wreckage is being stored in a hangar. Pic: NTSB
An investigator examines the wreckage from the crash. Pic: NTSB
Key safety system turned off
Recent reports indicate that an essential safety system was deactivated on the helicopter.
Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz, who has received updates from investigators, mentioned that the Black Hawk had its automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) turned off, an action permissible for military aircraft.
ADS-B is an advanced technology that significantly enhances the accuracy of aircraft tracking. According to Mr. Cruz, even though the helicopter had a transponder allowing it to be visible on radar, ADS-B would have provided precise location data.
Mr. Cruz remarked, “This was a training mission, and there wasn’t a valid national security reason for disabling ADS-B.”
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The Federal Aviation Administration has also initiated a review of airports experiencing high levels of mixed helicopter and plane traffic, as per Mr. Cruz’s request for a safety assessment.
President Donald Trump emphasized this week that the collision was attributable to what he referred to as an “outdated” computer system used by US air traffic controllers and pledged to upgrade it.
Additionally, he suggested a connection between a diversity initiative at the FAA under previous administrations and the crash.
However, it has since been reported that there is no evidence to support the president’s assertions.
Last week’s incident marked the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since November 12, 2001, when a jet crashed into a New York City neighborhood post-takeoff, killing all 260 individuals on board and five others on the ground.
