All flights halted at Reagan National Airport due to plane crash

[dfwgator]

This doesn’t feel right.

Trump agrees:


Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

·
9m
The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!

[Smokin Joe]

Who was on those aircraft?

[dfwgator]

Who was on those aircraft?

My first question.  Guess we'll find out after next of kins are notified.

[Bigun]

OSINTdefender
@sentdefender
·
20m
Fox News quoted a recording of air traffic control communications at the time of the CRJ-700 airliner-Army H-60  helicopter collision:

ATC to the Army H-60: “Do you have the CRJ in sight.”

 The crash apparently happened directly after.

And that tells the tale. The ATC should not have been saying ANYTHING to the Helo pilot at that point but "HOLD in place! Do not move!"

[Bigun]

The fact that the tower reached out to the Blackhawk twice with NR bothers me. Why didn’t it see the plane?

Military aircraft do not use commercial radio frequencies so only the ATC could converse with them.

[Drago]

Military aircraft can dial up any frequency they want including some that commercial aircraft sometimes don't have the equipment for ("HF" frequencies). 

Transcontinental flights and some commercial/civilian aircraft operating in remote areas (New Guinea, Alaska) also utilize HF frequencies.

https://www.collinsaerospace.com/what-we-do/industries/military-and-defense/communications/airborne-communications/hf-communications

https://youtu.be/UIUvUuIt-n0?si=aYgYaNk_vQxFS5a4

Apparently some USA figure skaters on the AA CRJ airliner:  https://x.com/libsoftiktok/status/1884867286944592098   

[DCPatriot]

Who was on those aircraft?

Blackhawk helicopter...Ford F-150 Lightning.

"At this point, what difference does it make" --- Hillary Rodham Clinton

[DCPatriot]

My first question.  Guess we'll find out after next of kins are notified.

Here it is, 5AM and the FOXNEWS Chyron reads "...SEARCH for survivors".

You don't survive an explosion which tears a jet in half, falls 300 plus feet into January chilled Potomac river while strapped in a seat on a final approach.

In my mind's eye can still see Lenny Skutnik suddenly diving into the river... grabbing that dazed, frozen woman as she was sinking below the surface for the last time.

[DCPatriot]

Trump agrees:


Donald J. Trump

@realDonaldTrump

·
9m
The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!

[Timber Rattler]

This doesn’t feel right.

Aw geez, no more conspiracy theories please!!!!

Anybody who works and travels in the DC/Leesburg/Baltimore area knows how congested the departure and approach lanes are in and out of DCA, IAD, and BWI, made worse with the post-9/11 FAA restrictions.  It was only a matter of time before something like this happened, particularly with the flight controllers being understaffed, overworked, and under the stress they are these days.

This was a tragic accident and nothing more.

[Drago]

ATC Comms and radar tracks:

https://youtu.be/CiOybe-NJHk?si=u8_Tst-EIRY8s1jn

[Timber Rattler]

ATC Comms and radar tracks:

The PAT25 Blackhawk flew right into the path of the approaching Flight 5342.  Either it was pilot error or there was some kind of confusion or foul up between ATC and the military controller.  It was also dark and blustery in the DC area last night. Note the two other aircraft lined up behind 5342 on their approach vectors too.  I like I said, it's tight and congested around DCA.

[Wingnut]

ATC Comms and radar tracks:

https://youtu.be/CiOybe-NJHk?si=u8_Tst-EIRY8s1jn

@Drago
Vasaviation is my goto site for stuff like this.  Thanks for posting.  They got this (the ATC com) up quick.

No survivors.   Very sad.

[American Girl]

Excerpt:
Newly surfaced videos show the horrifying moment an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a PSA/American Airlines passenger jet collided midair near Reagan National Airport, sending both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River. The collision resulted in a massive fireball before both aircraft went down, with no survivors reported.

The jet, which took off from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, while the Black Hawk, based out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, had three soldiers aboard on what the Army claims was a routine training mission. But how does a helicopter end up in the direct flight path of a passenger plane in one of the most heavily controlled airspaces in the country?



The Blackhawk seems to be almost TOTALLY dark.

1. Was it deliberated, or the helicopter pilot was retarded?
2. Who were the passengers on the plane?




https://www.usasupreme.com/new-angle-footage-of-helicopter-collision-near-reagan-airport-how-is-this-not-intentional-video/

[The_Reader_David]

The PAT25 Blackhawk flew right into the path of the approaching Flight 5342.  Either it was pilot error or there was some kind of confusion or foul up between ATC and the military controller.  It was also dark and blustery in the DC area last night. Note the two other aircraft lined up behind 5342 on their approach vectors too.  I like I said, it's tight and congested around DCA.

My immediate take was that it was confusion between civilian and military air controllers.  Of course, pilot error on the part of the Blackhawk pilot is also a possiblity.  (And why the heck was a Blackhawk flying through the approach to Reagan International at all??)

[DB]

My immediate take was that it was confusion between civilian and military air controllers.  Of course, pilot error on the part of the Blackhawk pilot is also a possiblity.  (And why the heck was a Blackhawk flying through the approach to Reagan International at all??)

It makes no sense at all. The civilian plane was very well lit and where it was supposed to be. The Blackhawk pilot should have had clear sight of it for some time before he/she flew straight into the plane. The Blackhawk had to increase altitude to hit it in the last moments.

[mystery-ak]

John Donnelly, Chief of the District of Columbia Fire Department, said Thursday that “we don't think there are any survivors from this accident.”

“We have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter,” he added.

“Despite all these efforts, we are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” he also said.

"The district office of the medical examiner has lead on reuniting these bodies and these people, with their loved ones," Donnelly continued. "And we will continue to work to find all the bodies and collect them. and reunite them with their loved ones."
Posted by Greg Norman

[mystery-ak]

Russian Olympians, American figure skating members were on board American Airlines plane

Russian and U.S. figure skaters were on board an American Airlines flight that collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night.

Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won a pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed at the Winter Olympics twice, were among the passengers on the plane, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Thursday.

"Unfortunately, we see that this sad information is being confirmed. There were other fellow citizens there. Bad news today from Washington. We are sorry and send condolences to the families and friends who lost those of our fellow citizens who died in the plane crash," he said.

The International Skating Union said it was "deeply shocked" over the incident.
Posted by Ryan Gaydos


World champion Russian figure skaters aboard flight involved in midair collision, Kremlin says
Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov competed in 2 Olympic Games

Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were a Russian figure skating pair who competed in multiple Olympic Games and medaled in multiple world championships.

The Kremlin said Thursday the figure skating stars were among those aboard an American Airlines flight that collided with a U.S. Army helicopter near Reagan International Airport on Wednesday night.



more
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/world-champion-russian-figure-skaters-aboard-flight-involved-midair-collision-kremlin-says

[DCPatriot]

Memories come flooding back of the 1970 Wichita State Football Team who saw over 75% of them killed in a plane crash.

[Timber Rattler]

It makes no sense at all. The civilian plane was very well lit and where it was supposed to be. The Blackhawk pilot should have had clear sight of it for some time before he/she flew straight into the plane. The Blackhawk had to increase altitude to hit it in the last moments.

Well, that doesn't mean much over heavily-lit DC after dark with multiple aircraft in the vicinity at the same time, several lined up on approach behind Flight 5342.  Hegseth said that it was a training flight, so there's the question of how experienced the Blackhawk pilot was in those circumstances.  Also, the military pilot may have been looking at the incoming aircraft BEHIND 5342 when ATC asked him on the frequency if he saw it, and he applied affirmatively.  I wonder if he was wearing night vision gear too? 

Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asked a helicopter if it had the arriving plane in sight. The controller made another radio call to the helicopter moments later: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.” There was no reply. Seconds after that, the two aircraft collided.

[mountaineer]

I'm waiting to hear what our friend, a retired Chinook pilot and Army Colonel, thinks about this. He's flown training missions around D.C.

Amber Smith
@AmberSmithUSA
Army helicopter pilot here. Based on what we’ve seen so far, my guess is the PAT Blackhawk helicopter pilots confirmed visual on the wrong aircraft and likely never even saw the aircraft they crashed into.
12:49 AM · Jan 30, 2025

visionik — e/acc
@visionik
As a pilot, here is what I think happened:

Facts:
1. American Airlines flight 5432 (LANDING FLIGHT), a CRJ700 operated by PSA airlines, was inbound to runway 33 on whats called "short final", the last stage of landing, about 400 feet in altitude.
2. An Army Blackhawk training flight PAT25 (HELICOPTER) was flying perpendicular to the flight path of 5432 along the Potomac river.  The Potomac is a designated helicopter flight path / flight corridor.
3. PAT25 was flying on Visual Flight Rules (VFR); flight 4532 on Instrument Flight Rules (IFR).  This means that flight 5432 had priority and the helicopter should have been constantly looking out visually for other aircraft.
4. Moments before the crash, the DCA tower called to PAT25 and asked them to confirm they had the "[other] aircraft in sight".
5. PAT25 replied that they had the aircraft in sight.

Opinion:
PAT25 actually had another aircraft, the DEPARTING FLIGHT, in sight, and did not realize PAT25 was descending directly into its flight path.

12:11 AM · Jan 30, 2025

[mystery-ak]

https://twitter.com/FearedBuck/status/1884819465314898252

[mountaineer]

Of course they did. They should be reminded that Trump's been in office barely a week, and any FAA or U.S. Army personnel involved in this crash have been on the job much longer than that.

CNN blamed Trump before waiting for any facts:

https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/1884811003252064419

[mystery-ak]

I wonder if he was wearing night vision gear too? 

The Blackhawk pilots would not be wearing night vision goggles due to there being so much ambient light on the ground..the googles would be useless and even hazardous...

[mystery-ak]

‘Absolutely Disgusting’: CNN Hammered for Immediately Pointing the Finger at Trump for DC Plane Crash
By Rusty Weiss | 8:40 AM on January 30, 2025

https://twitter.com/PeterHamby/status/1884827909954621502

https://redstate.com/rusty-weiss/2025/01/30/absolutely-disgusting-cnn-hammered-for-immediately-pointing-the-finger-at-trump-for-dc-plane-crash-n2184987