Key questions raised over U.S. plane crash, search operations halted

KATHMANDU: Investigators have recovered the black box from the passenger plane that crashed into the Potomac River after a mid-air collision with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C.

The crash, which occurred late Wednesday night local time, involved an American Airlines passenger jet preparing to land at Washington’s airport.

All 64 people on board the aircraft, including crew members, along with three personnel from the military helicopter, are presumed dead. Search operations at the crash site have been temporarily suspended, authorities confirmed.

The incident has raised serious concerns about staffing shortages at the airport and whether proper landing precautions were followed.

According to CBS sources, air traffic control typically assigns two controllers to manage both aircraft. However, at the time of the crash, only one controller was on duty at Washington’s airport.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), in its preliminary report, acknowledged this staffing issue, initially reported by The New York Times.

Washington’s airspace is among the most tightly regulated in the world, making the crash even more alarming.

Investigations are ongoing, and the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has stated that a preliminary report will be released within 30 days. While officials say they have gathered significant information, verifying the findings will take time.

The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder could provide key insights into what went wrong. The recovered black box will be transported to the NTSB laboratory for thorough analysis.

Search operations halted

Divers spent all of Thursday searching the Potomac River but suspended operations by the evening.

According to Fire Chief John Donnelly, at least 28 bodies have been recovered—27 from the passenger aircraft and one from the military helicopter.