Unpacking the deadly aircraft crash in Washington, D.C.

America likely experienced its worst aviation disaster in almost a quarter century on Wednesday night, when an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger jet hundreds of feet above the near-freezing Potomac River in Washington D.C.

What happened? As American Airlines Flight 5342 – carrying 60 passengers and four crew members from Wichita, Kansas – was heading in to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport, a US Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers apparently flew into the plane’s path.

• All 67 people involved are believed to have died in the crash, according to authorities. Rescue crews had recovered at least 28 bodies from the crash site as of yesterday evening (here’s what we know about the victims, who include two renowned Russian figure skating coaches as well as a group of young skaters).
• If the deaths of all on board are confirmed, the crash would represent the deadliest aviation disaster on US soil since 2001. It also stands as America’s first mass casualty commercial aircraft crash since 2009.

What caused the collision? It’s currently unclear. Officials yesterday said there was nothing unusual about each aircraft’s flight paths leading up to the collision, nor were there any adverse flight conditions. Transmissions show an air traffic controller instructed the Army helicopter to avoid the jet nearly 20 seconds before the crash – and again just seconds before.

• In a national address yesterday, President Trump repeatedly cited DEI policies at the FAA as having some role in the plane collision, though he didn’t provide any evidence.

👀 Looking ahead…The National Transportation Safety Board expects to complete its preliminary investigation into the crash within 30 days.