Trump says Washington plane crash could have been prevented; slams air traffic control
Trump in a post on Truth Social also raised questions about how the military helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an "extended period of time"
Even as the shocking news of the tragic mid-air collision involving an American Airlines flight carrying 160 passengers and a military Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, dominated news channels, US President Donald Trump hit out at the air traffic control authorities for failing to prevent such an accident.
An American Airlines plane, which had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and was approaching Reagan National Airport, suddenly “collided mid-air” with a military Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac river. There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the flight, while there were three persons inside the US Army helicopter.
According to reports, at least 18 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River by emergency services after the crash. No survivors have been found as yet. However, all 67 people are feared to have died in the air crash.
Also read: Washington DC: Video of moment jet collided with army helicopter mid-air goes viral
'This is a bad situation'
Meanwhile, Trump in a post on Truth Social raised some questions about the mid-air collision flagging how the military helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an "extended period of time".
The American airlines flight was on “a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport.”
“It is a clear night, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn't the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!” he wrote.
Both agencies report to him as the President, said AP News.
Also read: Washington DC | All 67 feared killed after US jet collides with chopper
ATC's Audio recordings
Meanwhile, an AP report quoted from the air traffic control tower audio recordings around the time of the crash.
Just 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller can be heard asking the helicopter if it could see the plane approaching: “PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight?”
Again, the ATC makes another radio call to PAT25 moments later stating, “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.”
However, no response was received, and the two aircrafts collided seconds later.
Shortly after, another pilot is heard calling saying, “Tower, did you see that?"
Nothing short of a nightmare
Meanwhile, the US aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 jet, operating for American Airlines, had left Wichita, Kansas, and was approaching Reagan National Airport when it “collided midair” with an Army Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
Further, it said the Reagan National Airport will remain closed until at least Friday at 5 am.
"All takeoffs and landings have been halted at DCA,” said the Reagan Airport in a statement.
Meanwhile, Kansas Senator Roger Marshall tweeted a statement in which he said they had received the “devastating news of what can only be described as nothing short of a nightmare”.