A mid-air collision between a commercial airliner and a US military helicopter near Washington, DC’s Reagan national airport, has left no survivors, Donald Trump confirmed earlier Thursday.
But the crash — marking the first fatal US airline disaster in 16 years — has also sparked a wave of conspiracy theories, fuelled in part by the US President.
The incident occurred at approximately 9pm local time (3am GMT) when an American Airlines regional jet carrying 64 people collided with a UH-60 Black Hawk army helicopter carrying three soldiers.
Wreckage from both aircraft plunged into the nearby Potomac River, complicating rescue efforts amid freezing temperatures and darkness.
Authorities have yet to confirm the number of casualties, but hundreds of rescue workers are combing through debris in a desperate search for survivors.
Trump stirs conspiracies
As emergency crews worked at the crash site, Donald Trump took to social media, questioning the circumstances of the collision.
“The plane was on a perfect and routine line of approach. Why didn’t the helicopter go up or down?” the US President wrote on Truth Social.
In another post, he speculated: “The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing.”
His comments quickly gained traction among his supporters, sparking conspiracy theories online. Some suggested the helicopter had been “hijacked and used as a weapon, a la 9/11”. Others falsely claimed that two Russian figure skaters on board the flight had been “taken out”. Additional rumours blamed the Chinese Communist Party and even former president Joe Biden’s “DEI [diversity, equity, and inclusion] policies”. Experts, however, have dismissed these theories as baseless.
What happened?
Aviation analysts say the collision was likely to have been caused by a breakdown in communication between air traffic controllers and the pilots involved.
Minutes before the crash, the American Eagle flight was given permission to approach runway 33 at Reagan national airport. Radio recordings show that air traffic controllers instructed the Black Hawk helicopter, using the callsign “PAT 25”, to look out for the incoming jet.
Controllers cleared the commercial aircraft — a Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ) — for a visual landing. The helicopter pilots acknowledged the instruction and reported having the airliner “in sight”. The controller then told them: “Pass behind the CRJ.”
However, seconds later, the two aircraft collided at near-right angles.
CCTV footage captured a bright flash in the sky at 8.47pm local time (1.47am GMT), appearing to show the moment of impact before both aircraft burst into flames.
Was this a case of human error?
Aviation experts believe the crash may be linked to errors in judgement or communication.
Bernard Lavelle, an aviation consultant at BL Aviation Consulting, told The i Paper: “It could be a case of mechanical failure or human error. The fact that the air traffic controller specifically told the helicopter to pass behind the CRJ suggests there was a misunderstanding.”
Lavelle said concerns had been raised about staffing shortages in US air traffic control, which can put more pressure on pilots – increasing the likelihood of human error.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reported a significant rise in “runway incursions” — incidents where aircraft, vehicles, or people are in unauthorised areas of the airport, increasing the likelihood of collision.
FAA data reveals 1,115 such incidents in the past year, including 183 cases where air traffic controllers’ decisions resulted in dangerously close encounters between planes. Additionally, there have been 706 cases where pilots have deviated from FAA regulations during takeoff or landing.
Lavelle added that the US aviation industry was still recovering from the pandemic, which led to shortages that increases the possibility of errors. “There’s been a big operational shift in North America — there’s a shortage of air traffic controllers, and the FAA has been on a hiring spree. But training is expensive, and the system now has less experienced controllers than before.”
Pilot shortages have also been a challenge. “Especially in regional aviation, there are a lot of less experienced pilots in the sky,” he added.
Why didn’t the pilots avoid the collision?
Trump questioned why the helicopter pilots “didn’t go up or down” to avoid the collision. Experts say the complexity of visual landings at busy airports makes such manoeuvres challenging.
According to Lavelle: “Air traffic control would not have given permission to cross the runway unless it was safe to do so. This suggests a breakdown in communication or understanding.”
The Black Hawk helicopter pilots were making a “visual approach” — meaning they were relying on their eyesight rather than automated instruments. While airliners have powerful landing lights, these are difficult to see from the side or rear, especially at night amid the bright lights of a city.
Trump’s comments that the lights on the plane were blazing may have in fact made visibility more difficult against the backdrop of the illuminated city of Washington, DC in the background.
Alan Diehl, who used to work for the National Transportation Safety Board, told NBC News that the lights may have made it difficult for the helicopter pilots to see the plane.
He added that the airspace over the airport was “very tight” and that “you really have to be on your game” when flying there.
“The pilots and the controllers that fly in and out of there are well trained and well aware of these restrictions,” he said. “Very limited room for error.”
While a commercial aircraft are equipped with a Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), which alerts pilots to potential conflicts, and issues instructions to aircraft. However, as aircraft approach landing, certain alert functions can be disabled to prevent unnecessary distractions.
Doug Rice, a retired American Airlines pilot, told NBC News that TCAS was not effective below 700ft.
Investigators will analyse black box data and air traffic control recordings to determine whether the American Airlines pilots were aware of the helicopter before the crash.
What happens next?
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation, working alongside the FAA and military officials.
Their key priorities include retrieving and analysing data from the two black boxes of the aircraft, which will include voice recorders from both aircraft. They will also review air traffic control instructions and pilot communications and examine for mechanical faults.
Lavelle emphasised that while human error appeared likely, it was too early to draw conclusions. “Investigators will be looking at everything — this shouldn’t have happened in controlled airspace. Was it due to inexperience? A technical failure? Or a miscommunication? These are the critical questions, that aviation officials must answer.”
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