On Friday, January 31st, police boats patrolled along the Potomac River in the rain, carefully searching for clues to the mid-week collision between a commercial airplane and a military helicopter at night. Investigators said they had found the black box of the Black Hawk helicopter and were examining the flight data recorder.
This tragic accident has resulted in 67 fatalities and raised questions about the air traffic safety around the US capital.
The investigation team is inspecting the flight data recorder on the Black Hawk helicopter, as well as two flight data recorders previously found on the airplane.
In the mid-week plane crash, there were no survivors. John Donnelly, the chief of the Washington DC Fire Department, stated at a press conference on Friday afternoon that 41 bodies had been recovered from the river, with 28 already identified. Donnelly mentioned the notification of 18 families and expressed the expectation of eventually finding all the bodies.
He noted that it might be necessary to retrieve the aircraft that crashed into the river to locate all the victims’ bodies.
Donnelly stated, “This is a heartbreaking operation.”
He pointed out that more than 300 rescue personnel, including dive teams and two US Coast Guard speedboats – one with a crane – were involved in the operation.
“For many of us, this is a challenging rescue operation,” he said.
The duration of the recovery work is currently unclear. Donnelly mentioned, “We are working at the fastest pace possible. We ask the public to remain patient.”
Terry Liercke, the Vice President and Airport Manager of Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), mentioned that while the airport had reopened, two out of three runways remained closed.
Around 100 flights were canceled on Friday.
Earlier, investigators had found the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder of the American Airlines jet. Todd Inman, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, informed the media that the flight data recorder was in good condition and expected the information to be downloaded soon. He mentioned that the cockpit voice recorder had water damage, which, though not uncommon, added to the investigators’ workload.
Inman stated that the data from the Black Hawk helicopter was stored in a black box, currently at the NTSB headquarters and appeared undamaged from the outside.
Investigators are analyzing the military pilots’ actions and the role of air traffic controllers in the accident, as the helicopter seemed to have entered the airplane’s flight path. NTSB investigations typically take at least a year, but the team aims to complete an initial report within 30 days.
Military aircraft frequently conduct such flights in the capital and surrounding areas to rehearse swift relocation of government officials in case of major disasters or attacks.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Fox News that other potential factors contributing to the crash, including the helicopter’s altitude and whether the crew used night vision, were still under investigation.
On Friday, the Army released the names of two fallen soldiers. One was 28-year-old Sergeant Ryan Austin O’Hara, the aircraft commander, from Lilburn, Georgia. The other victim was 39-year-old First Lieutenant Andrew Loyd Eaves, one of the helicopter pilots, from Great Mills, Maryland.
At the families’ request, the name of a third soldier was temporarily withheld, an uncommon measure.
US President Trump posted on social media that the Army Black Hawk helicopter flew above the permitted altitude. Hours later, the Department of Transportation announced strict restrictions on helicopter traffic around the airport.
According to the DOT statement, the FAA prohibited helicopter flights over a roughly 6-mile stretch of the Potomac River and parts of its coastline, including over the airport. Exceptions were made for emergency medical, law enforcement, air defense missions, and Air Force One. These restrictions were expected to remain in place until the NTSB releases its preliminary report.
Since the accident, the wreckage has drifted several miles downstream.
Dean Naujoks, an inspector for the Waterkeeper Alliance, found floating debris on the Maryland riverbank on Thursday, including flight manuals, aircraft cabin wall panels, a women’s sweater, and dozens of sugar packets with the American Airlines logo. With law enforcement permission, Naujoks turned these items over to the FBI.
“Everything was covered in aviation fuel,” Naujoks said. “I thought about the owners of these items; it hit me hard. It was a sad day on the Potomac River.”
According to the FAA report, an air traffic controller was responsible for coordinating helicopter traffic and arriving and departing flights at the time of the collision. These duties are typically divided between two people, but the report noted that on the night of the accident, the tower supervisor combined these responsibilities earlier than usual, calling it “unusual.”
Inman mentioned that investigators had interviewed at least one air traffic controller working at the time of the crash. The interviews were ongoing, and the number of controllers on duty at the time was still unclear.
“Interviewing air traffic controllers is crucial,” Inman said. “That’s why the investigation procedures were initiated immediately after the accident.”
In addition to reviewing the controller’s records, investigators will assess their equipment levels, training, hiring, and other factors.
The FAA has long been addressing the issue of air traffic controller shortages.
At the time, helicopters were allowed a maximum flying altitude of 200 feet. It is currently unclear if the helicopter exceeded this limit, but Hegseth stated that the altitude seemed to be a contributing factor to the collision.
President Trump also stated on Friday that the helicopter was “flying too high.”
“It was well above the limit of 200 feet,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Wednesday’s crash was the deadliest air disaster in the US since November 12, 2001, when a jet taking off from Kennedy Airport collided with a residential area in Belle Harbor, New York, killing all 260 people on board and five on the ground.
Experts emphasize that overall aviation is very safe, but the congested air traffic around Reagan National Airport presents a challenge even for the most experienced pilots.
(This article references relevant reports from the Associated Press)