31.07.2025 20:06
New footage has been released of the helicopter and passenger plane collision in the U.S., recorded as the deadliest aviation accident in the last 20 years. The footage, shown during a hearing by the National Transportation Safety Board, also revealed the last words of the Black Hawk helicopter pilot. A total of 67 people lost their lives in the accident.
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New horrifying footage of the helicopter and passenger plane collision in Washington DC, recorded as the deadliest aviation accident in the United States in the last 20 years, has been shared with the public. The footage was released at the opening of the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) three-day hearing, revealing the last words of the Black Hawk helicopter's pilot.
The video recorded by security cameras shows a massive explosion lighting up the night over the Potomac River. Just seconds before this moment, the Black Hawk helicopter belonging to the U.S. Army collided with American Airlines Flight 5342.
On January 29, there were 64 passengers and crew on board the Bombardier CRJ700 aircraft, which had taken off from Wichita and was preparing to land at Reagan National Airport, while the helicopter had 3 soldiers. A total of 67 people lost their lives in the accident.
The helicopter was conducting a low-altitude training flight under the code Priority Air Transport 25 and was returning to Fort Belvoir base in Virginia. However, investigations revealed that due to a malfunction in the helicopter's altimeter, the pilots believed they were 100 feet higher than they actually were.
Three minutes before the accident, Sergeant Andrew Eaves told co-pilot Captain Rebecca Lobach, "We are at 300 feet, let's descend to 200." However, the maximum allowed altitude on the specified route was 200 feet. Two minutes before the collision, air traffic control warned the helicopter about the approaching passenger plane. A second warning was issued 90 seconds later, but the crew continued, stating they could visually separate.
Twenty seconds before the collision, Eaves said, "We need to come a little to the left." Lobach replied, "Okay." At 20:48, the helicopter and the plane collided in the air, creating a massive fireball.
Test flights conducted after the accident determined that the airflow created by the rotors misled the altimeter, making the helicopter appear higher than it actually was. Additionally, reports indicated that the crew was fatigued and there was a staffing shortage at air traffic control that day.
During the hearing, it was stated that there were "blame-shifting" discussions among the parties regarding the sharing of responsibility, and no clear accountability had yet been established.
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