Earlier this year, on January 20, a collision between a passenger jet and a US Army helicopter sent both aircrafts plunging into the Potomac River in Washington D.C. This was the deadliest plane/air crash in the country in twenty years.
American Eagle Flight 5342 took off in Wichita, Kansas, carrying a total of 60 passengers and four crew members. The helicopter had been on a military training flight, carrying three passengers.
The morning after the crash, officials determined that no one had survived the crash, and their efforts shifted to recovering bodies instead of a search and rescue operation.
The collision occurred as the plane departed from the Reagan National Airport at about 9:00 pm, in clear skies.
The crash caused 67 fatalities and no survivors.
Among the plane’s countless passengers, many were figure skaters from the East Coast, specifically from the Skating Club of Boston, as well as their families and coaches. Jinna Han, Spencer Lane, Sean Kay, and Angela Yang were all taking this flight after the U.S. Figure Skating’s National Development Camp.
Another group of victims were friends, returning from a hunting trip, students, and parents.
Three of the passengers were from Delaware.
“I’m devastated to hear the news that at least three Delawareans died during last night’s air collision. Sasha Kirsanov, Sean Kay, and Angela Yang went to Wichita to pursue their passion for figure skating,” State Senator Chris Coons said. “It is a tragedy that none of them returned home to our state. Delaware is a state of neighbors, and tonight we hold all of our neighbors a little closer. My heart goes out to Sasha’s wife, Natalia, the University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, and every other Delawarean touched by the three of them.”
This crash has raised concerns about aviation safety and reliability. The public has already begun to question the adequacy of the staffing at the air control tower, as well as the planes’ flight paths.
The Army has stated that the pilots and three military personnel on board the helicopter were experienced fliers who were accustomed to the crowded skies near the nation’s capital. The pilot was being tested on the use of night vision goggles and flying by instruments.
“Our hearts are with the victims’ families as they navigate this tragic loss,” stated city and federal agencies involved, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Navy dive teams, and Washington police and fire crews, announcing the recovery of all the victims’ remains.
Officials are also trying to remove all of the broken parts from the Potomac, retrieving an engine as well as parts of the jet’s exterior.
Investigators and the National Transportation Safety Board will continue investigating this collision and exactly what caused it. Work will continue to be done to rid the Potomac fully of all the parts of the aircraft, as well as investigations on the air control tower and radio signals during the time right before the crash.