plans Crash

Transcript

00:00January 29, 2025. A calm winter morning over Washington, D.C., turned into a scene of horror.

00:06Just miles from the White House, an American Airlines jet collided midair with a U.S. military

00:11Blackhawk helicopter resulting in the deadliest aviation disaster on American soil in more than

00:16two decades. What went wrong in the skies above the Capitol? Who's to blame and could this have

00:21been prevented? American Airlines Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ, was en route to New York from

00:28Ronald Reagan, Washington, National Airport. Onboard were 58 passengers and four crew members.

00:33At the same time, a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter was conducting a routine military training mission

00:38just west of the airport. S. Restricted airspace. Both aircraft were following separate flight paths.

00:44A miscommunication between air traffic control and military coordination changed everything.

00:48At 9.42 a.m., just for minutes after takeoff, the CRJ-700 climbed through 3,000 feet when it came

00:55into the path of the military chopper. In a blink, the left wing of the commercial jet sliced into the

01:01rotor blades of the Blackhawk. The helicopter spun out of control and crashed near the Potomac River,

01:06while the jet lost altitude rapidly and plunged into the river's edge. Witnesses reported a loud

01:11explosion followed by black smoke rising from the water. Rescue crews arrived within minutes,

01:15but the destruction was overwhelming. All 67, lives 58 civilians and nine military personnel were lost.

01:22The FAA and NTSB immediately launched an investigation, focusing on ATC recordings,

01:27radar logs, and military flight clearance protocols. Early findings pointed to a fatal

01:32lapse in communication between civilian and military air traffic channels, possibly aggravated by outdated

01:38radar systems and a lapse in restricted airspace alerts. This tragedy has left America in shock and

01:44mourning. More importantly, it's raised critical questions. Are our skies safe enough? Can civilian and

01:49military aviation truly coexist in shared airspace? As the investigation continues, families demand

01:55answers, and the nation demands accountability, because no one should ever pay for a miscommunication

02:00with their life. We'll keep you updated as more unfolds. Stay safe, and always remember behind

02:05every statistic is a story, a family, a life.