Crews have started removing wreckage from the Potomac River following the tragic collision of an American Airlines passenger jet and a military helicopter last Wednesday. The investigation is focused on determining the cause of the crash, with key questions surrounding the helicopter's altitude and potential pilot visibility issues.
A new phase of the recovery effort began on Monday following the tragic collision of an American Airlines passenger jet and a military helicopter last Wednesday. Crews are now working to remove large parts of the wreckage from the Potomac River. The first piece recovered was a jet engine, slowly raised by a crane. Divers spent the weekend examining the underwater debris field, developing a plan for the recovery that is expected to take the rest of the week.
However, the US Army Corps of Engineers, overseeing the operation, emphasizes that the timeline remains uncertain as the recovery of all victims has not yet been completed.The dignified recovery of missing flight passengers and personnel takes precedence, stated Col. Francis Pera, commander of the Corps' Baltimore District on Sunday. The victims included 28 athletes, coaches, and family members associated with US Figure Skating who were participating in national championships in Wichita and a subsequent development camp. The salvage work commenced under clear skies but will be conducted in water with temperatures hovering around 36 degrees. Inclement weather, including rain and sleet, is forecast to return to Washington by Wednesday.A potential indication that the pilot of one of the aircraft might have sighted the other before the collision emerged over the weekend. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed that the jet's flight data recorder shows a slight upward change in the plane's pitch just before the impact. A crucial question in the investigation is whether the Black Hawk helicopter was flying above the designated 200-foot altitude limit along its planned route on the eastern bank of the Potomac River. NTSB member Todd Inman stated at a Saturday evening news conference that the Bombardier jet's flight data recorder indicates an altitude of about 325 feet at the time of impact, contradicting air traffic controllers' lack of indication that the helicopter exceeded 200 feet. NTSB Chairperson Jennifer Homendy announced on Monday that information had been recovered from the flight data recorder, promising further details during a press briefing later in the day. The black box is considered vital to the investigation as the DC tower radar only provides altitude updates every five seconds, lacking a constant readout. Homendy explained that the investigation aims to determine whether the altitude reading came from the helicopter or if it was a misinterpretation by the tower equipment. CNN transportation analyst Mary Schiavo, a former inspector general at the Department of Transportation, stated that if the radar indicated faulty readings, investigators would scrutinize maintenance records and the contractors responsible for repairing the tower equipment. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted on CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday that the helicopter's altitude remains a key unanswered question, alongside others such as whether the Black Hawk pilots were wearing night vision goggles and whether it affected their peripheral vision or perception. It was revealed that on the night of the crash, a single air traffic controller was handling approach traffic for both planes and helicopters, unlike the usual practice of two different individuals.Despite the ongoing evidence collection from tapes and underwater debris, former director of the FAA's Office of Accident Investigation Steven Wallace expressed confidence that the cause of the disaster will be definitively established. Wallace stated to CNN's Phil Mattingly that with radar data, eyewitness accounts, and all the wreckage recovered, there is nothing missing from the investigation
AIRPLANE CRASH HELICOPTER COLLISION INVESTIGATION NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL US FIGURE SKATING
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