From a husband losing contact with his wife to a national skating organisation mourning the apparent loss of members, tragic details are emerging about the devastating US air disaster
Washington plane crash: Webcam shows midair collision
The bodies of at least 25 people have been recovered after a devastating US air disaster.
An American Airlines plane crashed with a US Army helicopter last night in the worst air disaster on American soil for 15 years. American Eagle Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, was approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it was in collision with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. There were 64 people onboard the plane and three in the helicopter.
A massive search and rescue operation has so far failed to find any survivors following the crash, which took place just before 9pm in the US, 2am in the UK. In a heartbreaking update, officials now say they are not expecting to find any survivors. Chilling details have emerged of air traffic controllers trying to prevent a collision – and witnesses seeing a white fireball in the sky. Here’s our timeline of the events so far…
10.18pm (UK time)
American Airlines Flight 5342, a CRJ 700 plane, takes off from Wichita in Kansa with 64 people on board – four crew members and 60 passengers. It’s heading for the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in the US capital. At 1.39am, an Army Army UH-60 helicopter takes off from Fort Belvoir in Virginia with three people onboard and flies up the Potomac River.
1:40am
The American Airlines plane begins its approach, preparing to land on Runway 33 at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, coming in from the south of Washington. At 1:48am, the airport’s air traffic control tower radios the US Army helicopter and asks: “Do you have the CRJ in sight?”, in reference to the American Airlines plane.
The helicopter pilot confirms he sees the plane and requests “visual separation”, indicating that he is going to try to fly out of its path.
1:49am
The two aircraft collide over the Potomac River at about 300 feet. The plane is travelling at about 145mph. Air traffic controllers are heard reacting and a pilot in the vicinity radios in asking: “Did you see that?” The tower immediately begin diverting other aircraft from the airport.
Video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Center shows two sets of lights consistent with a fireball. Locals who witnessed the crash saw a white flash light up the atmosphere.
One witness, motoris Ari Schulman, who is driving along the George Washington Parkway, tells NBC Washington he saw the passenger jet flying at an extreme angle after the collision before disappearing into the darkness. “Initially, it looked normal, but suddenly, it banked all the way to the right – past 90 degrees,” said Ari. “I could see the underside, glowing bright yellow, with a stream of sparks beneath it.”
Emergency helicopters started scouring the area for survivors and rescue boats were deployed on the Potomac River. Local media report the American Airlines had split in two and was lying in around 7 feet of water in the icy river.
3.09am
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirms the crash in a statement. It read: “A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9pm local time. PSA was operating Flight 5342 for American Airlines. It departed from Wichita, Kansas. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation. Will provide updates as information comes in.”. Six minutes later, US President Donald Trump pays tribute: “I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.”
4.22am
The husband of a passenger on board the ill-fated plane shares his wife’s final text. Hamaad Raza received a message from her stating “landing in 20 minutes”, he tells CBS News, saying his other half was returning from a work trip in Kansas.
7:32am
Tass – Russia’s state news agency – names World Champion figure skaters turned coaches, Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, as passengers on the plane. A US figure skater tells a Russian media outlet a competition was taking place in Kansas and 14 Russian figure skaters were onboard. Half an hour later, US Figure Skating confirms skaters and their loved ones were onboard the plane, saying: “Several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342, which collided with a helicopter yesterday evening in Washington, D.C. These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.”
8.20am
Divers recover one of two black boxes from the American Airlines plane as well as luggage from the cabin. CBS News reports the plane broke into multiple pieces and is now up to 8ft deep in the Potomac, while the helicopter is upside down but mostly intact. The bodies of 19 people are confirmed to have been recovered after the devastating crash, CBS News are told. In a press conference, Washington DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly tells reporters that it’s currently unclear if there are any survivors. He says a team of 300 has been mobilised, who are working through “extremely rough” conditions.
