DC Plane Crash
- Thread starter havasu
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I've been watching it on the news... They shut down Reagan airport until tomorrow.
At this very-very preliminary point it appears ATC screwed up. Appears the inbound passenger jet was doing everything correctly. The local police department should have been squawking their altitude & heading. They had it turned off.
Still, it was super slopy of ATC to tell the chopper maintain visual contact. Likely the chopper piolet lied when saying they visual of the commercial on short final. If they truly had visual on the jet on short final, they would have taken evasive action, to save their own lives.
Still, it was super slopy of ATC to tell the chopper maintain visual contact. Likely the chopper piolet lied when saying they visual of the commercial on short final. If they truly had visual on the jet on short final, they would have taken evasive action, to save their own lives.
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Map of the collision. Helicopter moving south and airplane moving north. Helicopter hit the AA plane.
Video of crash
We had a midair with a helicopter. The chopper took the floats off the Cessna that we were in. Not fun.
They "just" changed the story about the chopper. New story.
There were three individuals on the Black Hawk which was operating out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia, according to the Army. None of those aboard were senior Army officials, according to the NYT.
There were three individuals on the Black Hawk which was operating out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia, according to the Army. None of those aboard were senior Army officials, according to the NYT.
Fox has been covering it non-stop for over an hour and a half, showing nothing but blinking lights on the bank of the river 
I finally had to change the channel.
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Sixty passengers on the plane and so far...it doesn't look good.
Supposed to be a news conference at 0030 EST. Fox is going to broadcast it. About 15m from now.
Both were traveling at about 125mph and at the height of a 35 story building but at right angles to each other. The results were catastrophic, from the impact of the aircraft or hitting the water.
The plane weighed about 50K pounds, the uh-60 about 12K pounds. Basically 31 tons of metal crashed together at 125mph. Some on the plane might have survived, not so much the uh-60.
Edit, the press conference is 15min late so far. No new ETA.
The plane weighed about 50K pounds, the uh-60 about 12K pounds. Basically 31 tons of metal crashed together at 125mph. Some on the plane might have survived, not so much the uh-60.
Edit, the press conference is 15min late so far. No new ETA.
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What is your news source? There are plenty reporting it. I caught some from a more local station there. Word was that two deceased have been pulled from the water. That the plane had broken in two. Divers can't get into the helicopter because it was upside down in the water. What other reason wasn't mentioned. I'm sure they're working on it. Virginia and Maryland State Police both on scene.
I flew out of that airport once or twice long ago.
The video I posted shows the helicopter hitting the plane. It was aimed for the plane for quite some time before it hit.
I am watching Newsmax
Press conference is on, 0057hrs est, Duffy is there... Both kansas senators there, one is head of the commerce/aviation committee.
No survivors...?
They keep saying its a rescue mission but have said nothing about a single person surviving.
No survivors...?
They keep saying its a rescue mission but have said nothing about a single person surviving.
Fox is showing the conference as we speak... and it is horrible. All those microphones are pointed at people's nipples instead of their face!
I had to turn my volume way up just to hear it.
If that wasn't bad enough, they got the video out of sync with the puny audio, so no lip-reading possible.
Some news conference... they refused to say if anyone survived. "No comment!!!! But we are looking for survivors" after 4hrs in 37 degree water...
People had 10min to survive in 37 degree water... it took ems 10min to get to the plane.
People had 10min to survive in 37 degree water... it took ems 10min to get to the plane.
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Not sure but thought the question and answer in one case was cut.
@Supervisor42 everyone was dressed on the news conference I watched.
And it is true, they don't make it easy to hear what the questions are.
This is so sad and so preventable. They have to be careful with what they say.
@Supervisor42 everyone was dressed on the news conference I watched.
And it is true, they don't make it easy to hear what the questions are.
This is so sad and so preventable. They have to be careful with what they say.
That does not sound survivable for a human.
Well, it's finally over.Some news conference... they refused to say if anyone survived. "No comment!!!! But we are looking for survivors" after 4hrs in 37 degree water...
People had 10min to survive in 37 degree water... it took ems 10min to get to the plane.
So much talking, and no information.
How many people on each aircraft, and they collided... all stuff that has been scrolling on the screen for the last 2 hours.
That's all.
...I need a beer.
In answer to this... Jen's map gives the altitude and speed of each aircraft... Also gives the angles, the weight of each aircraft is freely available on the net.
The rest of it, watching fox news...
heres what came across my news source...no links
2 reports
At least 18 bodies have been pulled from the water during a search and rescue operation on the Potomac River after a Bombardier CRJ700 and a Sikorsky H-60 military helicopter collided, CBS News reported, citing a police officer. According to him, no survivors have yet been found.
There were 64 people on board the plane (60 passengers and 4 crew members). The helicopter crew consisted of three military personnel. NBC reported that rescuers pulled four people out of the water. They were said to have been hospitalized.
2 reports
At least 18 bodies have been pulled from the water during a search and rescue operation on the Potomac River after a Bombardier CRJ700 and a Sikorsky H-60 military helicopter collided, CBS News reported, citing a police officer. According to him, no survivors have yet been found.
There were 64 people on board the plane (60 passengers and 4 crew members). The helicopter crew consisted of three military personnel. NBC reported that rescuers pulled four people out of the water. They were said to have been hospitalized.
An update at 2:30 am by The Washington Post said NO SURVIVORS! Several members of the US figure skating team were on board! 
None of who hit who matters. The landing passenger jet being "Short Final" had the right of way. It is important at this point to fully understand that the passenger jet was doing everything perfectly, "by the BOOK".
The chopper was operating "ILLEGALLY". (It had its transponder turned "OFF"). This was flat-ass beyond stupid in ATC Controlled Air Space.
Still ATC super screwed-up.
Thank you for your knowledgeable input!
I think it's obvious what happened ... only mystery is why!
The chopper hit the plane. The plane was on final approach.
What were the chopper pilots doing? How the hell can you fly right into a plane?!!! Were they incapacitated? Was the chopper malfunctioning?
Consider the chances of this happening. Two objects in the sky hitting each other at over a hundred miles per hour and at the same altitude!!
Something is very wrong here.
The chopper hit the plane. The plane was on final approach.
What were the chopper pilots doing? How the hell can you fly right into a plane?!!! Were they incapacitated? Was the chopper malfunctioning?
Consider the chances of this happening. Two objects in the sky hitting each other at over a hundred miles per hour and at the same altitude!!
Something is very wrong here.
https://www.npr.org/2025/01/29/g-s1-45449/plane-helicopter-crash-d-c-airport-potomac
National
D.C. plane crash efforts pivot from rescue to recovery, fire chief says
Updated January 30, 20259:54 AM ET
Emergency response units access airplane wreckage in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport early Thursday in Arlington, Va., after an American Airlines flight from Kansas collided with a helicopter while approaching the airport.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
For updates on the collision and search for survivors, follow NPR's live coverage.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Officials say 28 bodies have been recovered so far after a regional passenger jet carrying 64 people collided in midair with a Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night. The plane was approaching a runway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
A webcam at the nearby John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts showed a small aircraft, colliding with the passenger jet at a low altitude, followed by a bright explosion.
Within minutes, emergency crews rushed to the scene, as helicopters and fireboats began scanning the frigid Potomac River near the airport for survivors. About 300 first-responders were involved in the search and rescue effort.
More links here : https://duckduckgo.com/?q=A+commerc...n+National+Airport&t=newext&atb=v458-1&ia=web
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Like many airports, National is one that takes a skilled pilot to land in. I've flown in and out of there several times. When I was attending classes close to DuPont Circle and within walking distance of it, my preference was to fly into National. Dulles was so far out and so much more difficult to be able to travel into D.C. from. I can imagine that some of the air traffic from National has been diverted there, but Baltimore Washington International is probably taking on some of the traffic.
67 people between the two aircraft. I read that over 30 bodies have been recovered so far, but maybe more than that now. More than 300 first responders have been there.
67 people between the two aircraft. I read that over 30 bodies have been recovered so far, but maybe more than that now. More than 300 first responders have been there.
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When I had business in DC I'd always fly in to BWI then take the train to DC. It seamed to be a lot less congested.
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Being someone who hasn't really traveled much, it was a learning experience for me. I had a colleague who had a family gathering in the area. They were not too aware of the challenges, but they had family members land at BWI, Dulles and National. There was lots of car time for them, gathering up all of the people.
I only flew in and out of Dulles once. I traveled with a classmate that time. When we were getting ready to get back out to Dulles from our hotel within blocks of the White House, we had to figure out how to get out there. I spent 20 minutes on the phone, pushing this for this option, and that for that option in order to figure out how to get to the airport.
