AA5342 Plane Crash: Interaction between DCA control tower and Army Black Hawk helicopter revealed
US: Social media users have shared audio that allegedly shows the exchange between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and the control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) just before the aircraft struck a 64-person American Airlines flight on Wednesday. After that, the plane plunged into the Potomac River.
The control tower can be heard asking the helicopter whether it can see the American Airlines aircraft in the video, which flying enthusiast Brian Bartlett posted on X, previously Twitter. After they confirm that they can, there is a crash, and the sound of controllers instructing other planes can be heard.
The Background
The American Airlines CRJ 700 plane that crashed into the Black Hawk, which the Associated Press claims had three people on board, had 60 passengers and four crew members, according to the airline.
CNN’s Gabe Cohen verified the event had resulted in deaths, citing a law enforcement source.
Crash investigators will be able to learn more about why the helicopter collided with the American Airlines aircraft after it seemed to corroborate they had visuals thanks to the control tower audio.
Bartlett, an amateur pilot who works for a communications consultant in D.C., posted a one-minute, nine-second audio clip on X late on Wednesday that was purportedly taken from the DCA control tower.
“This is the pertinent audio from the DCA tower,” he wrote. begins when the controller asks the PAT-25 helicopter whether it can see the CRJ and tells it to go behind the aircraft. Then, in the distance, you can hear controllers reacting to the accident and giving orders to other aircraft.
Bartlett continued by speculating that the Black Hawk pilots and the DCA tower may not have been clear about which aircraft they were referring to.
“As a pilot, the only thing that comes to mind is that the helo pilots must have assumed the controller was referring to a different plane,” he said. “Oh yeah, I see that one that’s basically landed,” one person said. They were also unaware that he was referring to another jet further out on final.
“It’s difficult to fathom how you still don’t notice a somewhat large airplane with all of its landing lights on coming in just off your left side, even if that was the cause of the confusion. With traffic calls coming from the tower, I would always be alert in an airport setting.
At the time of the tragedy, the American Airlines aircraft had taken off from Wichita, Kansas, and was approaching DCA for a landing. The Black Hawk, which was headquartered in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, was engaged in a training flight.
What Individuals Are Saying
Ronald Reagan National Airport stated, X: “At around 9 p.m. on Wednesday night, emergency responders at Reagan National Airport began responding to a collision between a Sikorsky helicopter and a passenger plane, which the FAA identified as American Eagle flight 5342. Takeoffs and landings at the airport were suspended for the rest of the evening, and nearby agencies were called upon to provide mutual help.
American Airlines wrote: “We have learned of reports of an incident involving American Eagle flight 5342, which is operated by PSA and operates from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA).” As information becomes available, we will share it.
According to a statement sent via email, President Donald Trump was “fully briefed on the terrible accident that just took place at Reagan National Airport.”
“May God bless their souls,” he added. We appreciate the amazing job that our first responders are doing. I’m keeping an eye on things and will provide further information when it becomes available.”
Around the accident scene on the Potomac River, first responders are still working. If officials think there are survivors, they have not said.
The recordings from the DCA control tower will be used by investigators to try to figure out what went wrong and how to prevent a recurrence.
