Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the aircraft involved in Wednesday night’s mid-air collision with a U.S. military helicopter, which resulted in the deaths of all 67 people aboard both aircraft.
The recorders have been sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) labs for analysis, the agency confirmed on Thursday evening.
Their findings are expected to provide critical insights into the cause of the disaster. Early reports have raised concerns about whether understaffing at the air traffic control tower at Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport contributed to the deadliest aviation accident in the U.S. in years.
At approximately 9 p.m., American Eagle Flight 5342 was approaching Reagan National when it collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.
The impact sent debris from both aircraft plummeting into the icy waters of the Potomac River, killing all 64 passengers and crew members aboard the plane, along with three soldiers in the helicopter.
This was the first major fatal crash involving a U.S. commercial airline since 2009. Former President Donald Trump and his top transportation officials were quick to label it “preventable,” though accident investigators cautioned that it was too early to determine the exact cause.
A preliminary investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that staffing levels at the airport’s control tower were “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic.” Like many airports nationwide, Reagan National has struggled to maintain adequate staffing in its control tower.
Reports indicate that at the time of the crash, a single air traffic controller was handling arrivals, departures, and helicopter traffic—tasks that are typically managed by two people.
One day before the collision, a separate jet attempting to land at Reagan was forced to make a second approach due to a helicopter near its flight path citing air traffic control audio recordings.
The crash was the first national tragedy to unfold since Trump’s inauguration last week. At a White House press conference, the new president delivered a mix of condolences and political statements.
“This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation’s capital and in our nation’s history, and a tragedy of terrible proportions,” Trump said. “As one nation, we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly.”
He then suggested that changes made under Joe Biden’s administration to air traffic controller hiring requirements may have played a role in the crash.
“We had the highest standard that you could have, and then they changed it back – that was Biden,” Trump claimed, suggesting the modifications were linked to diversity initiatives his administration intended to repeal. He also criticized former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, calling him a Democratic figure with “just a good line of bullshit.”
When asked to provide evidence supporting his claims about air traffic controller hiring practices, Trump declined, saying, “Because I have common sense, OK. And, unfortunately, a lot of people don’t.”
Later, he signed an executive order on aviation safety that rolled back diversity initiatives, while reiterating, without evidence, that such policies had contributed to the crash.
Deadly Crash in Washington (Photo: AP)
In response, Buttigieg accused Trump of spreading misinformation. “As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying,” he said, emphasizing that the Biden administration had prioritized safety.
The crash is under investigation by the NTSB, with Chair Jennifer Homendy calling it “an all-hands-on-deck event.” Board member Todd Inman stated that a preliminary report on the incident is expected within 30 days.
The agency has begun collecting wreckage, including helicopter debris, which is being stored in a hangar at the airport.
Meanwhile, Washington’s fire and emergency services reported that divers have searched all accessible areas of the crash site and plan to conduct additional searches on Friday to recover more aircraft components.
Throughout the day, Trump administration officials provided further details about how the military helicopter and passenger plane may have crossed paths.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the helicopter’s crew was “fairly experienced” and based at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. The soldiers were conducting a “required annual night evaluation” at the time of the crash and were equipped with night-vision goggles.
“It’s a tragedy, a horrible loss of life,” Hegseth said.
At the Potomac River, which separates Washington, D.C., from Virginia, more than 300 emergency workers—including divers—battled high winds and packed ice to recover bodies and aircraft debris.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy reported that the Bombardier CRJ-700 jet, operated by regional carrier PSA Airlines, had broken into three parts and was submerged in waist-deep water.
Duffy noted that both aircraft had been flying in a “standard flight pattern” on a clear night before the accident, adding that it is not uncommon for military aircraft to be present in the skies over the nation’s capital, including near Reagan National Airport, which is located in Arlington, Virginia.
Washington, D.C.’s fire chief, John Donnelly, stated that strong winds had scattered the wreckage but expressed confidence in their ability to recover all victims. Of those found so far, 27 were from the plane and one from the helicopter.
“We will continue to work to find all the bodies and reunite them with their loved ones,” Donnelly said. “I’m confident that we will do that. It will take us a little bit of time. It may involve some more equipment.”
Several of the victims had attended a U.S. Figure Skating development camp in Wichita, Kansas, where the flight originated. The Skating Club of Boston identified six skaters, coaches, and family members who were among those killed.
“Our sport and this club have suffered a horrible loss with this tragedy,” CEO and Executive Director Doug Zeghibe wrote on Instagram. “We are devastated and completely at a loss for words.”
According to Russia’s state-run TASS news agency, two world champion figure skaters, Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were also aboard the ill-fated flight.
Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser confirmed that the plane’s passengers included “families from our region, Kansas, and across the country. We share a profound sense of grief.”
