Investigators have recovered the black boxes from the midair collision near Reagan National Airport, which could provide crucial insights into the tragedy. New findings also reveal that something was “not normal” about the day of the crash that claimed 67 lives.
A devastating midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has left investigators searching for answers as new findings emerge about the crash.The cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, commonly known as black boxes, have been recovered, offering crucial insight into the moments before impact.
The collision occurred at approximately 9 p.m. local time on Wednesday when a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, operating as American Airlines Flight 5342, collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River.The jet, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, carried dozens of passengers, including members of the U.S. figure skating team, their mothers, and two Russian coaches.
Upon impact, both aircraft plunged into the icy waters, with the plane breaking into multiple pieces and the helicopter overturning before sinking.Investigators located the black boxes late Thursday night and transported them to a National Transportation Safety Board lab for analysis.
While the NTSB continues its investigation, with a preliminary report expected to be released in 30 days, concerns about air traffic control staffing at Reagan National have surfaced.Normally, two controllers manage air traffic in the highly controlled airspace — one dedicated to helicopters and another for fixed-wing aircraft. However, according to reports, on the night of the crash, a single controller handled both roles.
An FAA preliminary report, first noted by the New York Times, stated that this staffing situation was “not normal.”
The controller was responsible for managing helicopters flying below 200 feet along the Potomac’s east edge, while simultaneously instructing commercial jets arriving and departing from the airport’s runways.This increases the workload for the air traffic controller and can complicate the job. One reason is that controllers use different radio frequencies to communicate with pilots flying planes and pilots flying helicopters…CONTINUE READING