The National Transportation Safety Board is still looking for answers.
Nearly two months after American Airlines flight 5342 collided with a Black Hawk Army Helicopter amid its descent into Washington D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the NTSB is continuing its investigation.
In a March 11 press conference, the safety board chair Jennifer Homendy said that army helicopters’ flight patterns around the airport currently pose an “intolerable risk” for commercial flights, as there is only a definitive 75 feet of space between the flight pattern of helicopters and some descending airplanes. Therefore, the NTSB is recommending the FAA permanently suspend helicopter flights within that area of the airport.
Indeed, Homendy detailed that out of 944,179 flights at the D.C. airport, there were 15,214 “close proximity events,” or situations where there was less than one nautical mile and a vertical distance of less than 400 feet. What’s more, 85 instances had a distance of less than 1500 feet horizontally and 200 feet vertically.
“There clearly were indicators,” Homendy said of a potential crash. “It shouldn’t take a tragedy to require immediate action.”
She added of the American Airlines crash, “It’s stronger than an oversight.”
As the NTSB previously told NBC News Jan. 30, the full investigation of some evidence from the flight—which includes voice and flight data recorders from the American Airlines plane’s cockpit—could take up to a year to complete.
Updates on the Jan. 29 collision come amid a time of grieving the passengers aboard the American Airlines flight—which was traveling into D.C. from Wichita, Kansas—and the helicopter. The crash killed all 67 people aboard both aircrafts, 28 of whom were elite figure skaters on the American Airlines flight who were traveling back home after a development camp in Kansas.
“This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation’s capital and in our nation’s history and a tragedy of terrible proportions as one nation,” President Donald Trump said in a press briefing Jan. 30, shortly after confirming there were no survivors. “We grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Figure Skating organization, who shared a tribute video Feb. 5 honoring the victims of the crash, also shared, “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts.”
In the months since the crash, loved ones to others on board have also opened up about their loss. NPR Host Adrian Ma recently detailed the loss of his girlfriend Kiah Duggins, who was set to begin teaching at Howard University School of Law shortly after the crash occurred.
“There are reminders of Kiah everywhere,” Adrian told NPR. “Her glasses are on the nightstand. Her clothes are in the closet. Little curls of her hair are scattered around. I hear echoes of her voice sometimes, especially when I see something and I want to turn to her and say, like ‘Hey, check this out’ then I realize I can’t do that anymore.”
As he put it, “It’s just been a new level of pain that I didn’t know I could experience.”
For more details on the American Airlines tragedy, keep reading…
What Happened to the Passengers on American Airlines Flight 5342?
On the evening of Jan. 29, American Airlines flight 5342 traveling from Witchita, Kan., to Washington, D.C. collided with a United States Army Black Hawk helicopter near the Reagan Washington National Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed on X, formerly known as Twitter. The plane carrying 60 passengers and four crew members and the helicopter, which had three people aboard, crashed into the Potomac River.
The passenger jet, a Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-700 series twin-engine jet, was operated by American Airlines’ subsidiary airline, PSA Airlines.
What was first a rescue mission became a recovery operation, with all 67 passengers in both aircraft being confirmed dead.
“Our hearts are with the victims’ families as they navigate this tragic loss,” Washington, D.C., officials shared in a statement Feb. 4. “We extend our deepest condolences and remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time.”
The National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the investigation, is still putting the pieces together but said in an update that data from air traffic control showed the helicopter appeared to be higher than the 200-foot ceiling allowed for its route.
“This data showed the Black Hawk was at 300 feet on the air traffic control display at the time of the collision. the NTSB said in a Feb. 4 investigation update. “This data is rounded to the nearest 100 feet.”
Who Was Onboard American Airlines Flight 5342?
Among the 60 passengers were 28 American figure skaters, coaches and family members who were at a camp in Wichita, Kan., according to U.S. Figure Skating.
“These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships,” the governing body shared in a statement obtained by NBC News. “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts.”
World champion Russian figure skating duo Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who wed in 1995, were also onboard, the sport’s governing body confirmed.
Hamaad Raza, whose wife was also on the American Airlines flight, was waiting for her at the international airport.
“I’m just praying that somebody’s pulling her out of the river right now as we speak,” he told CBS affiliate WUSA9. “That’s all I can pray for. I’m just praying to God.”
Soon-to-be Howard University School of Law professor Kiah Duggins was also a passenger on the flight. The university shared that the civil rights attorney, who earned her J.D. from Havard Law School, was set to join Howard’s faculty this fall.
Who Was Onboard the U.S. Army Helicopter Involved in the Collision?
The helicopter was from Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion out of Davison Army Airfield in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Public Affairs Deputy Director for Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/Military District of Washington Ron McLendon II confirmed to NBC News.
The official shared that the aircraft was in the middle of a training mission at the time of the collision.
The passengers onboard were identified as Capt. RebeccaLobach, 28, Chief Warrant Officer AndrewEaves, 39, and Staff Sgt. RyanAustinO’Hara, 28.
What Happens Next After Recover Efforts for American Airlines Flight 5342?
The FAA, U.S. Army and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the collision, with the latter taking the lead. The Pentagon has also initiated its own investigation.
While there are still more questions than answers, former NTSB and FAA investigator Jeff Guzzetti told Today that the air traffic control communications that night are “going to be scrutinized by the NTSB, that controller will be interviewed and the radar data will be looked at by the NTSB.”
As of Feb. 4, NTSB investigators are continuing to transcribe the cockpit voice recorders for both aircraft, they confirmed in an update. The NTSB, in collaboration with the Naval Sea Systems Command Supervisor of Salvage and Diving , are continuing to recover the wreckage from the Potomac River.
Who Has Spoken Out After American Airlines Flight 5342 Crashed Into the Potomac River?
President Donald J. Trump shared his condolences about the tragedy.
“I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport,” the White House statement said. “May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.”
Ilia Malinin, the men’s figure skater who won his third consecutive U.S. figure skating title in Witchita Jan. 26, confirmed he was not onboard the flight. He wrote on his Instagram Stories, “I hope and pray for everyone who was on that flight is OK.”
Wichita Mayor Lily Wualso expressed her grief, saying at a press conference that their “hearts are heavy as a city.”
“We mourn with all those who have been impacted,” she said. “This is a terrible tragedy that will unite those in Washington, D.C., and Wichita, Kansas, forever.”
Two-time Olympic medalist Nancy Kerrigan shared an emotional message to reporters about the crash that claimed the lives of six skaters from Skating Club of Boston, where the athlete also formerly trained.
“I just wanted to be here and be part of our community,” Kerrigan said through tears. “When you find out you know some of the people on the plane, it’s an even bigger blow.”
