At 2137hrs rescue units were dispatched to a mid-air aircraft crash between American Eagle 5432 (N709PS) and Army Helo PAT-25 (VH-60), both aircraft are in the Potomac river off runway 33 with multiple DOA. Rescue in progress

<from scanner app>

Sad news. I saw the video that showed the collision and fireball.

Not sure of the details, but here is one link..

https://www.fox5dc.com/live


The first link posted was to a lib type outlet..

I will be curious to know how the helicopter could have been cleared into the approach corridor to DCA. Sounds like the mother of all ATC screw-ups.
Hard to be optimistic after watching the video, but I pray they can find some survivors.

There's a lot of conflicting info coming out right now. So I'd caution on any speculation until a statement is made.

This isn't directed at any particular person.

Prayers for all involved and their families.

A report of four survivors at this point.

The conspiracy 'tards are overwhelming Twitter right now.

This is from GMI (Global Military Information):


The military aircraft, identified as PAT25, is believed to be a Priority Air Transport mission, typically designated for VIP transport operations.
9:55 PM · Jan 29, 2025

The Pentagon has said there were 3 members of the military, plus the flight crew. But there were NO VIPs on board.

quote:

Originally posted by ChicagoSigMan:
I will be curious to know how the helicopter could have been cleared into the approach corridor to DCA. Sounds like the mother of all ATC screw-ups.
Hard to be optimistic after watching the video, but I pray they can find some survivors.

Based on the audio, PAT had the American in sight and was maintaining visual separation. All seems to check out on the ATC side. If I tell a pilot about a plane, they see the plane and tell me they’ll maintain visual separation from that plane, that’s on the pilot for hitting that plane.

Edit: just heard PATs response. Traffic was pointed out to pass behind. PAT reported the traffic in sight and said they would maintain visual separation. Later when PAT was getting closer, the controller verified the PAT pilot had the CRJ in sight, PAT responded affirmative and said they would maintain visual separation.

quote:

Originally posted by Phantom229:

quote:

Originally posted by ChicagoSigMan:
I will be curious to know how the helicopter could have been cleared into the approach corridor to DCA. Sounds like the mother of all ATC screw-ups.
Hard to be optimistic after watching the video, but I pray they can find some survivors.

Based on the audio, PAT had the American in sight and was maintaining visual separation. All seems to check out on the ATC side. If I tell a pilot about a plane, they see the plane and tell me they’ll maintain visual separation from that plane, that’s on the pilot for hitting that plane.

Edit: just heard PATs response. Traffic was pointed out to pass behind. PAT reported the traffic in sight and said they would maintain visual separation. Later when PAT was getting closer, the controller verified the PAT pilot had the CRJ in sight, PAT responded affirmative and said they would maintain visual separation.

This is horrific.

Seems to me that PAT was possibly looking at, and confirmed visual of, the wrong plane…DEPARTING not ARRIVING. I know nothing about the subject or the protocol but ATC commands the airspace correct? From what little we actually know, did ATC give complete and clear command to UH60?

A minute before the crash upto the crash, they were traveling towards each other. The plane was descending, maintaining 125kts, and banked left towards the runway across the helicocopter's path. The helicopter slowed from 121kts to 74kts at an altitude of 200-300ft and turned into the turning airplane.

I'll speculate the helicopter pilot saw the correct airplane, but wasn't expecting it to turn in front of it towards the airport. The helicopter pilot then target fixated on the plane and turned towards the plane instead of away from it. The airplane pilot did what would normally be done to land the plane.

I read that many of the passengers were kids and their families returning from a kids' figure skating camp in Wichita.

Found an article this morning confirming what I read:
American Eagle flight was carrying figure skaters home from a training camp before crash

This message has been edited. Last edited by: trapper189,

Watching the first news briefing; doesn't sound like there were any survivors from the tones of the officials, and they are saying they can't provide that information at this time. Still in rescue mode, however.

If you know where to look, you can find where the helicopter departed in VA prior to the crash.

The address of that residence is 811 Lawton Street, McLean VA. That is a property owned by the Saudi government and there is well-known name associated with that address. Not in the public domain but a name in ambassador and consulate circles.

Unknown if the helicopter had done a drop-of or a pickup in VA although the Army calling it a training flight is typical so that the taxpayers aren't getting fleeced for taxi services. Same when a fighter or bomber flies over a game or at the start of the Rose Parade.

News conference: "Thoughts and prayers, thoughts and prayers, thoughts and prayers..."

"Thanks to all our first responders, thank to all the folks standing up here with me, thanks to the NTSB, thanks to everyone, everywhere, for everything, and thanks our thanks for thanks thanks thanks thanks thoughts and prayers to our thanks and thanks for that. Thank you."

"We called this news conference but we can't provide you with the number of fatalities. We can't talk about the recovery efforts. We can't talk about anything you would expect authorities who called a fucking news conference to talk about. We can tell you that it's dark out there and the water is murky, and we can tell you that we can't tell you anything which could ever be mistaken for actual information."

"Thank you all for coming to this complete waste of time. Again, thoughts and prayers and everybody standing behind me is really great, doing a great job, and we thank ourselves. Thank you."

"Now that we've gone through the motions and covered our ass by calling this news conference and by letting you know that all the victims are in our thoughts and our prayers, because, as we all know, it's quite necessary for decent people to let everyone know the things they already know about decent people. You know, the thought and prayers shit. So, boom, you can't get us on that."

"OK? so, we'll be out there as long as it takes and we need to tell you this, because other people would pull up stakes before the operation was completed. Not us, no sir."

"Let's go through this complete waste of time again at 9 AM, when will again make damn sure you know that all the victims are in our thoughts and prayers, so you don't try to accuse us of not having them in our thoughts and prayers. Thank you all, and thank us, because we're great and doing a great job and cooperating and all that shit. Come back in a few hours and we'll not answer your questions again."

Juan Browne's take...



ATC: PAT25 do you have CRJ in sight?
PAT25: Aircraft's in sight, request visual separation.

Blackhawk was supposed to maintain visual separation and pass behind the landing CRJ, but for some reason flew into it instead.

[qoute]
News conference: "Thoughts and prayers, thoughts and prayers, thoughts and prayers..."

"Thanks to all our first responders, thank to all the folks standing up here with me, thanks to the NTSB, thanks to everyone, everywhere, for everything, and thanks our thanks for thanks thanks thanks thanks thoughts and prayers to our thanks and thanks for that. Thank you."

"We called this news conference but we can't provide you with any information worth Jack shit"[/QUOTE]

I recognize that very well as corporate crisis management protocol. If there’s a crisis (and in my world, it was parts needed that were holding up production), you better look like you’re doing something even though everybody knows there’s not a damn thing you can do about it except wait for the part to come in. In the meantime, you better be putting out regular reports and sending it to everybody because everybody wants to look like they’re concerned and involved and managing the crisis through resolution. Those reports better be updated with the latest status, what the next steps are, when the next steps are, and contingency steps if the next steps fail to happen. And it doesn’t matter that the latest report is the same as the last report; just do something to look like you’re doing something.

Well, that base commander's career is over. There's no one left to discipline.