The National breaks down the timeline of the deadly collision between American Airlines flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Washington

A regional jet carrying 64 people collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter while on approach to Reagan National Airport near Washington, DC.

D.C. Crash

American Airlines flight 5342, departing from Wichita, Kansas with 64 passengers, was en route to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. During this journey, a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter from Fort Belvoir was engaged in routine retraining with three soldiers aboard, flying southwards. As the aircraft approached its destination, the control tower at Reagan National Airport cleared flight 5342 for landing.

Just minutes after clearance, the control tower alerted the Black Hawk of the incoming aircraft, flight 5342. Despite this warning, an unavoidable collision occurred moments later. The crash was captured on video at approximately the same time that the control tower activated an alarm to signal the crash.

First responders, numbering around 300, rapidly converged on the crash site within ten minutes of the alarm being sounded. Emergency responders deployed varied resources including patrol boats, helicopters, and ambulances. Despite their efforts throughout the night, the operation transformed into a recovery mission by morning as hopes for a rescue dwindled. Early insights suggest that the collision may have been preventable.



Minute-by-minute breakdown of the D.C. plane crash

American Airlines flight 5342 took off from Wichita, Kansas at 6 22 p.m. Eastern with 64 people on board. Destination, Washington. In Virginia, an Army Black Hawk helicopter like this one left Fort Belvoir Army Base. The three soldiers on board engaged in routine retraining that's required every year. The Black Hawk was headed south. Headed north, approaching the airport to land was flight 5342. At 8 43 p.m. air traffic controllers cleared the flight crew to land at Reagan National Airport. At 8 47 p.m. the control tower warned the Black Hawk about flight 5342. Flight 5342 in sight. Flight 5342. Seconds later, a webcam captured the deadly crash. The sound you can only imagine. Crash, crash, crash. This is alert 3. Crash, crash, crash. 8 48 p.m. the control tower sounded the alarm. 8 58 p.m. first responders descended on the scene and leapt into action in a frantic rescue effort. It's an active operation that's going to last many hours as we continue to work through recovery efforts and rescue operations. About 300 responders answered the call in patrol boats, helicopters and ambulances. But by morning it would be deemed a recovery mission, not a rescue. I think this was preventable, absolutely.

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D.C. Crash