On Wednesday night, former U.S. President Donald Trump
raised concerns about a tragic midair collision involving a passenger jet and a
U.S. Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington. The
impact caused the plane to crash into the Potomac River.
The aircraft, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members,
struck the military helicopter during its landing approach. The helicopter had
three personnel on board. Emergency teams have so far recovered 18 bodies, with
no reports of survivors, as per CBS News.
Trump addressed the incident on Truth Social, questioning
the decisions made by both the helicopter crew and air traffic controllers.
“The plane was on a standard approach to land. The
helicopter had been flying straight toward it for a long time,” Trump wrote.
“The weather was clear, and the plane’s lights were fully
visible. Why didn’t the helicopter adjust its course or altitude? Why didn’t
air traffic control give clearer instructions rather than just asking if they
saw the aircraft? This looks like a preventable disaster. Not good!!!” he
added.
Air Traffic Control Communications
According to the Associated Press, audio recordings from the
control tower captured the critical moments leading up to the crash.
Less than 30 seconds before the collision, an air traffic
controller asked the helicopter pilot:
"PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight?"
Soon after, another instruction was given:
"PAT25, pass behind the CRJ."
However, there was no response, and the crash occurred
seconds later.
Following the impact, another pilot was heard asking:
"Tower, did you see that?"
Crash Investigation and Response
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the
collision happened at approximately 9 PM EST. The regional jet had taken off
from Wichita, Kansas, and was in its final approach when it struck the military
Blackhawk helicopter.
In response to the crash, the FAA suspended all flights at
Reagan National Airport. Authorities mobilized emergency teams to the scene,
with multiple agencies involved in the rescue efforts.
U.S. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas described the crash as
"an absolute nightmare" in a post on X.