Jan31,2025: All 64 people aboard the American Eagle flight that took off from Wichita, Kansas, including 60 passengers and four crew members, and all three soldiers aboard the helicopter were killed when the two aircraft slammed into each other on Wednesday night, causing a fiery explosion.
The plane carrying 64 collided midair with a military helicopter as it was approaching Reagan National Airport in Washington DC on Wednesday evening.
The Wednesday night disaster caused both aircraft to tumble into the icy Potomac River, killing 67 passengers and crew.
US investigators said Thursday it will take time to understand the cause of a deadly midair collision between a passenger jet and a military helicopter.
Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from American Eagle flight 5342, an American Airlines flight operated by PSA, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced late on Thursday. The recorders are now at the NTSB’s labs for evaluation. Board member Todd Inman said officials aimed to release a preliminary report into the incident within 30 days.
“We conduct an important safety mission where we take a very careful approach,” National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) chair Jennifer Homendy told journalists. “We look at facts… and that will take some time.”
NTSB board member Todd Inman likewise said there would be no immediate conclusions on the cause of the disaster.
