Air Traffic Control (ATC) audio from Wednesday’s crash between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet reveals the last words of the controllers before the spine-chilling disaster, as Fox News cited.
It was approximately 9 p.m at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia when in the ATC audio, a controller is heard directing American Airlines Flight 5342 to approach and land on Runway 33. The pilot of the aircraft, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, acknowledges the instruction and confirms clearance to land.
The passenger jet had 60 passengers and four crew members onboard, while the helicopter was carrying three soldiers.
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‘Do you have the CRJ in sight?’: ATC commands before crash
The controller then addresses the Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, identified as ‘PAT25,’ instructing it to pass behind the descending jet. “PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight? PAT25, pass behind the CRJ,” the controller says.
The ATC frequency fails to receive any response. However, Fox News reported that the helicopter confirmed the instruction through a different channel dedicated exclusively for helicopter communications.
About 40 seconds later, a voice from ground traffic control urgently alerts the tower to the unfolding crisis. : “Tower, did you see that?” a controller asks.
“Yup, we saw it,” someone in the tower replies. The controllers then rapidly begin diverting flights and shutting down the airfield.
“Everybody hold your positions on the field right now,” a female controller orders.
“Fire command. The accident happened in the river. Both the helicopter and the plane crashed in the river… he approached into Runway 33,” she adds.
She continues issuing instructions, ensuring all runways remain closed, and authorizing emergency personnel to have unrestricted access to taxiways and runways for the response effort.
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“It was probably out in the middle of the river,” another controller states. “I just saw a fireball and then it was just gone. I haven’t seen anything since they hit the river. But it was a CRJ and a helicopter that hit, I would say about a half-mile off the approach into 33.”
Army confirms Black Hawk helicopter was on routine training
The Army confirmed to Fox News Digital that the Black Hawk helicopter, which was carrying three soldiers, was assigned to Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, based out of Davison Army Airfield at Fort Belvoir. The aircraft was doing a routine training exercise at the time of the collision.
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Several figure skaters, including U.S. and Russian athletes, were among the passengers on American Airlines Flight 5342. The group had been returning from a figure skating event held in Wichita, Kansas.
