CNN has obtained two chilling movies of the DC aircraft crash that provide the clearest view of how the American Airways aircraft and the Military helicopter collided into one another resulting in a fireball within the sky earlier than the particles from the fireball fell into the frozen water beneath. CNN reported that the footage was taken on a cellphone throughout the tragic midair collision that killed 67 individuals within the deadliest catastrophe of the nation in nearly 1 / 4 century. The 2 clips captured the Black Hawk helicopter’s tail lights as the military copter got here from the left facet. The American Airways aircraft will be seen flying in the direction of the Ronald Reagan Nationwide Airport once they collided at about 9 pm. The collision sparked an enormous fireball with giant sections of the aircraft plunging into the frozen Potomac River the place it was later present in three items. The footage exhibits how the remnants of the helicopter which was carrying three troopers fell down with its flashing lights nonetheless seen.
Investigation up to now
As investigators with the Nationwide Transportation Security Board piece collectively what result in a lethal midair collision close to Reagan Nationwide Airport, NTSB member Todd Inman stated crews are working to entry information from the helicopter.Two black packing containers have been recovered from the aircraft, and are being analyzed on the NTSB’s lab, in response to Inman. As for the helicopter, Inman stated the navy plane is fitted with a recorder of some variety, nevertheless it’s not clear if it comprises voice recordings, information or each.
Army helicopter was flying too excessive?
A New York Instances report stated the Black Hawk helicopter might have been flying exterior of its permitted flight path. The newspaper stated 4 individuals briefed on the matter additionally stated the Black Hawk might have been a half-mile off of its designated route. There’s a margin of solely 350 ft between the designated paths of the helicopter and the business jet, which means any vital deviation may very well be disastrous, CNN aviation analyst and pilot Miles O’Brien stated.
