Within a span of a week, two major plane crashes located in Washington D.C and Philadelphia occurred. Many individuals within the United States have expressed concerns with air travel in response to these disasters.
On Jan. 29 at 6:18 PM, American Eagle Flight 5342, departed Wichita, Kansas with 60 passengers and four crew members. Two hours later at 8:48 PM, dashcam footage captures the collision.
CBS News explained that this happened, “15 minutes before the American flight was originally scheduled to land.”
The Federal Aviation Administration then issued an alert warning of an aircraft incident which had issued alerts to police, fire and airport authorities. Flight 5342 had collided with an Army helicopter while approaching Reagan National Airport’s runway.
This accident has since raised concern as the public had many questions as to how this could’ve happened. According to CBS News, “In communication leading up to the collision, an air traffic controller appears to communicate with the Army helicopter to make sure its pilot’s see the plane.”
The air traffic controller was quick to point out this disturbance, asking the pilot, “Do you have C.R.J in sight?” according to a radio traffic feed on LiveATC.net. The helicopter pilot responds, saying that he will use ‘visual separation’ to make sure he stays a safe distance away from the plane. However, this immediately caused both aircraft to collide.
At around 8:00 PM, the first emergency units arrive on scene, finding the wreckage of the plane in the Potomac river. A search and rescue immediately began as boats and divers started searching the area for survivors.
The next morning, local and federal officials hold a conference at the airport, where they believe that no one from both aircraft had survived the accident. According to NPR.org, 55 of the 67 victims have been recovered from the Potomac. The Army helicopter was believed to have carried three individuals while American Eagle Flight 5342 carried 64 passengers.
Among these victims, 14 were returning home from a national figure skating camp in Wichita, according to Doug Zeghibe, the CEO of the Skating Club of Boston. So far, these were all the victims found among the wreckage: Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, Jinna and Jin Han, Spencer and Christine Lane, Alexandr Kirsanov, Samuel Lilley, Ian Epstein, Wendy Jo Shaffer, Brielle and Justyna Beyer, Elizabeth Keys, Sean Kay, Angela Yang, Casey Crafton, Grace Maxwell, Olivia Ter, Kiya Duggins, Lindsey Fields, Donna, Peter, Everly and Alydia Livingston, Jesse Pitcher, Charles McDaniel, Jonathan Boyd, Micheal Stovall, Alexander Huffman, Ryan O’Hara, Andrew Eaves, Sarah Best, Melissa Nicandri, Chris Collins, Jonathan Campos, Rodger, Stephanie and Cory Haynos, Jonathan Boyd and Rebecca Lobach.
Approximately two days later, another deadly aviation accident occurred. On Jan. 31, a medical jet crashed in northeast Pennsylvania, injuring a total of 24 individuals and killing seven; six people on the plane and one person on the ground.
Currently, officials are unaware of what exactly caused the crash. ABC News noted that a preliminary report from the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) is expected in 30 days.
The aftermath of the crash is still being uncovered as cars and items on the road had to be towed due to the massive explosion. One major piece of evidence, a black box, also known as a voice recorder, was buried about 8 feet down into the massive crater that formed after the crash.
In the community, neighbors are setting up memorials by putting out balloons and candles for the victims. This investigation as to what exactly happened is still ongoing and the victim’s identities have not been released yet.
These accidents have caught the attention of people nationwide as many are afraid to set foot on any airplanes. It is unknown if these aviation accidents are both connected, but individuals are already sharing their theories as to what could have possibly happened.
Both of these stories are still under active investigation. The Captain’s Log will continue to try and cover these topics, but encourages readers to check with local and national news outlets for more information.
The Captain’s Log would also like to express its thoughts and concerns for the victims and their families, as many are recovering from the devastating impacts of these fatal aviation accidents.
