DC plane crash: What to know about the mistakes made leading up to the fatal collision

Reviews of the moments starring up to Wednesday’s fatal midair clang involving an Army chopper and an American Airlines rider pitchy person revealed respective failures and mistakes.

In mean operating conditions, aerial postulation power for helicopters and planes astatine Reagan National Airport is handled by 2 operators. However, connected Wednesday, the duties were combined, leaving conscionable 1 idiosyncratic to grip some duties, The New York Times reported.

The outlet, citing a root who was not authorized to talk publicly, noted that determination is usually lone 1 aerial postulation controller aft 9:30 PM, but a supervisor fto 1 permission early. The midair collision that near 67 dead occurred conscionable earlier 9:00 PM section time.

However, a idiosyncratic acquainted with the substance explained to Fox News Digital that the positions get combined regularly if aerial controllers person to measurement distant from the console for breaks, oregon if they are progressive successful a displacement change. Controllers whitethorn besides person to measurement distant erstwhile aerial postulation is slow, the idiosyncratic explained, speaking connected information of anonymity to sermon interior procedures.

STAFFING AT REAGAN WASHINGTON NATIONAL AIRPORT AIR CONTROL TOWER WAS 'NOT NORMAL' ON NIGHT OF COLLISION: FAA

Emergency workers retrieve debris from the Potomac River successful the aftermath of the collision betwixt American Eagle formation 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter, arsenic seen from Virginia connected Jan. 30, 2025.  (REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

Multiple reports besides bespeak that the Black Hawk chopper whitethorn person been flying higher than it was expected to, putting it extracurricular its approved formation path. The Times reported that the Black Hawk deviated from the approved low-altitude formation way that would person fto it debar the rider airliner. A elder Army authoritative told the outlet that the Black Hawk pilots had flown the way earlier and were alert of the altitude restrictions.

President Donald Trump commented connected the reports successful a Truth Social station connected Friday.

"The Blackhawk chopper was flying excessively high, by a lot. It was acold supra the 200 ft limit," Trump wrote.

Search efforts are seen astir the wreckage tract of a deadly midair collision betwixt an American Airlines pitchy and an Army chopper successful the Potomac River adjacent Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport connected Jan. 31, 2025. (Alex Brandon/AP)

The Times, citing a study from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), said that aerial postulation power whitethorn person instructed the rider plane’s pilots to pivot to different runway arsenic they were approaching the airport.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is presently starring an probe into the deadly collision. NTSB subordinate Todd Inman told FOX Business connected Friday that the bureau has made "pertinent facts" nationalist and is avoiding speculation amid the ongoing probe.

On Friday morning, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke with "FOX & Friends" astir the fatal crash, calling it "completely unacceptable." Hegseth emphasized that the Black Hawk helicopter’s achromatic box, which has yet to beryllium recovered, volition springiness the DoD important insights connected interior communications.

"We are looking astatine altitude... idiosyncratic was astatine the incorrect altitude. The probe volition assistance america recognize that – was the Black Hawk excessively high? Was it connected course? Right present we don’t rather know," Hegseth said.

Crew retrieve wreckage of American Airlines formation 5342 successful the Potomac River, Washington, D.C., Jan. 30, 2025. The level was progressive successful a fatal collision with a U.S. Army Black Hawk chopper connected Wednesday night. (Leigh Green for Fox News Digital)

TRUMP ATTACKS DEI POLICIES AFTER DC PLANE CRASH, SAYS FAA EMPLOYEES MUST BE HELD TO 'HIGHEST STANDARDS'

Hegseth besides called for the prioritizing of merit implicit "background" amid speculation that diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies played a relation successful the crash. Some, including President Trump, person wondered if those moving connected aerial postulation power had been hired based connected DEI goals, alternatively than nonrecreational qualifications.

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President Trump said Thursday that the deadly midair collision was a "confluence of atrocious decisions that were made, and you person radical that mislaid their lives, violently mislaid their lives."

Greg Wehner and Grady Trimble contributed to this report.