Washington DC Crash: Black Box Data Reveals Conflicting Altitude Information; New Photos Emerge of Third Soldier with Joe Biden and Ralph Lauren | US News

Initial reports from the air collision in Washington DC that claimed the lives of 67 individuals reveal contradictory details regarding the altitudes of the airplane and military helicopter involved at the time of the incident.

During a press briefing, officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) stated that the jet’s flight data recorder indicated an altitude of 325ft, with a margin of error of 25ft, at the moment of the crash on Wednesday evening.

Conversely, preliminary information from the air traffic control tower indicated that the Black Hawk helicopter was at 200ft during the time of the crash. The reason for this disparity remains undetermined.

NTSB member Todd Inman disclosed that the jet’s flight recorder captured a change in its pitch but did not clarify whether this suggested the pilots were attempting to avert a collision.

While data has been extracted from the jet’s black boxes, recovery of the helicopter’s data is progressing more slowly due to water damage sustained after the aircraft fell into the Potomac River.

Brice Banning, the lead investigator, mentioned that the crew of the airplane had a “verbal reaction” in the moments leading up to the crash.

He explained that the data recorder showcased “the airplane beginning to increase its pitch… sounds of impact could be heard about one second later, followed by the end of the recording”.

The NTSB also reported that five personnel were present in the air traffic control tower at the time of the incident, amid claims that staffing levels were “not normal”. However, the NTSB refrained from commenting on whether the number of staff on duty was adequate.

The crash near Reagan National Airport in Washington marked the deadliest incident in US aviation in nearly 25 years.

All 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, along with the three soldiers on the military helicopter, lost their lives.

During a poignant press conference, Mr. Inman expressed having spent significant time with the families of the victims since the incident.

“I don’t want to have to meet with those parents like that again,” he stated.

He conveyed that the families are facing immense struggles. “Some wanted to give us hugs. Some are just mad and angry,” remarked Mr. Inman.

“They are all hurting. And they still want answers, and we want to provide them with answers.”

Read more: What do we know about the victims of the Washington air crash?

At times, Mr. Inman expressed frustration during the press conference, highlighting that the NTSB has issued “several hundred” recommendations aimed at enhancing aviation safety that have yet to be implemented.

“From tragedy, we derive knowledge to enhance the safety for everyone. That’s what we’re doing now; dealing with tragedy while striving to improve safety,” he emphasized.

“Do you want to do something about it? Implement the NTSB’s recommendations. It could save lives.”

The recovery operation is still ongoing in Washington DC, with remains of 42 individuals having been retrieved from the river thus far.

Approximately 38 of the bodies have been identified, with authorities indicating their expectation to recover all victims—though the plane’s fuselage will likely need to be extracted from the water to retrieve the remaining individuals.

New details regarding the deceased have also surfaced. The US Army identified Captain Rebecca M. Lobach from Durham, North Carolina, as the third soldier who lost her life in the crash.

The names of the other two soldiers were disclosed on Friday, but Ms. Lobach’s name was withheld at her family’s request.

They stated she was “a bright star in all our lives”. Captain Lobach served as a White House military social aide and was pictured alongside President Joe Biden and Ralph Lauren during the awarding of the fashion designer’s Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this year.

Army representatives have stated that the helicopter crew was highly skilled and experienced in navigating the congested airspace above Washington DC.

While many Americans continue to process the devastating crash, a second aviation incident occurred on Friday night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

An air ambulance crashed into a busy intersection, resulting in the deaths of all six individuals on board, including a child who had recently received treatment at a hospital, and at least one person on the ground.