Authorities have recovered the black boxes from the two aircraft involved in the devastating mid-air collision over Washington DC on Wednesday night. The fatal crash, which claimed 67 lives, occurred when an American Airlines flight collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter in one of the most tightly controlled airspaces in the world.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed that both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were transported to their lab for analysis late Thursday night. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days as officials seek answers regarding the cause of the accident.
Initial reports have raised concerns over staffing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport’s air traffic control. According to CBS News, only one controller was on duty at the time of the incident, rather than the usual two. While the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) noted that this arrangement did not breach guidelines, questions remain over whether it played a role in the collision.
The FAA has struggled for years with staffing shortages, and President Donald Trump speculated without evidence that lower hiring standards implemented by previous administrations may have contributed to the tragedy. On Thursday, he signed a memorandum ending diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in the aviation sector and appointed a new head of the FAA.
Rescue teams have been working tirelessly to recover the remains of victims from the icy waters of the Potomac River. As of Thursday night, 27 bodies had been retrieved from the passenger plane and one from the helicopter. However, the search was suspended due to hazardous conditions.
The downed aircraft a Bombardier CRJ700 jet operating as American Airlines Flight 5342 had departed from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 64 passengers, including two young figure skaters, their mothers, and Russian coaches. The helicopter, a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, had three soldiers on board as part of a training mission.
The crash has drawn international attention, with Russia and China confirming the deaths of their nationals aboard the plane. Both nations have urged the U.S. to swiftly investigate and clarify the accident’s cause.
As families mourn and officials probe further, the tragedy underscores the urgency of improving aviation safety protocols and addressing long-standing concerns in air traffic control staffing.
