3 hours ago
Last Updated:January 31, 2025, 11:24 IST
One air traffic controller was only present in the tower when the mid-air collision between a passenger jet and the helicopter took place over Washington DC, as per the FAA
Emergency personnel work near the site of the crash after American Eagle flight 5342 collided with a Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Reagan Washington Airport and crashed into the Potomac River, outside Washington, US. (IMAGE: REUTERS)
As per a report prepared by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over the fatal Washington DC Plane Crash, only one air traffic controller was working when the mid-air collision took place between a passenger jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members and a military helicopter near Ronald Reagan Airport on Washington DC late on Wednesday.
All the 67 people who were aboard the passenger flight and army helicopter have been presumed dead by the authorities. The rescuers have recovered at least 28 bodies from the Potomac River where the plane and helicopter crashed and the recovery operation is still on.
As per the report accessed by The Associated Press, the staffing on the day unfortunate day “was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic."
As reported by AP, a person familiar with the matter informed the agency that such staffing was normal at night at the air traffic control tower.
The person said that one person takes over “when controllers need to step away from the console for breaks, are in the process of a shift change, or air traffic is slow," reported the AP.
The New York Times, citing a report, stated that one air traffic controller was “handling helicopters in the airport’s vicinity" and “instructing planes that were landing and departing from its runways."
NTSB Investigates Fatal Crash
In a news conference on Thursday, Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said that they will look into the environment, machines and humans involved in the crash.
“We have not recovered the flight data recorders yet. We know they’re there. They are underwater. This is not unusual for the NTSB, we have many times recovered flight data recorders in water," said Homendy.
The NTSB officials added that they cannot specifically pinpoint the cause of the crash and are aiming to get a preliminary report done within 30 days.
“If we find something that is a significant issue that warrants immediate action, we will not hesitate to make those recommendations and make them public," said NTSB member Todd Inman.
In a press conference on Thursday, the Chief of the DC Fire and EMS Department had said, “We don’t believe there are any survivors".
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump had also confirmed that there are no survivors of the crash.
Location :Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
First Published:January 31, 2025, 10:33 IST
News world Washington DC Plane Crash: Only One Air Traffic Controller At Tower, Staffing ‘Not Normal’, Cites Report
