Helicopter Crash in DC

[Jolly]

Little early with the horseshit, aren't you?

[jon-nyc]

You should see my worm collection.

[89th]

That’s from the pilot flying just behind the plane that crashed.

[89th]

Can see the helicopter flying south along the Potomac.

[89th]

[Horace]

That's just awful.

[Mik]

So the passenger jet crashed too, correct?

[89th]

Oh yes. Both aircraft in icy water. Explosion too. Very doubtful for the ~65 people

[89th]

@Copper said in Helicopter Crash in DC:

@89th said in Helicopter Crash in DC:

Incredible. January too. Reminded me of the Air Florida icy river crash in 1980 or so.

I remember that one, I left work early because of the snow

We watched Lennie Skutnick - the hero on live tv, an innocent bystander, he dove into the Potomac and rescued a passenger, maybe it was a stewardess

Yeah he kept helping people into life rings from the helicopter but when they came back for him, he was gone

[89th]

[89th]

Live tower audio. The helicopter was told to maintain visual separation and fly BEHIND the jet. Obviously it seems this is a major piloting issue by the army chopper. "Fly behind CRJ, visual sep" around 17:32, with background reaction voices at 17:49 or so.

https://archive.liveatc.net/kdca/KDCA1-Twr-Jan-30-2025-0130Z.mp3

UPDATE: Better link for the audio. The helicopter pilot is heard at 0:10 "aircraft in sight, visual separation".

[89th]

Blue Streak 5342 is the CRJ. Pat 25 is the helo

4 mins prior to crash: "Tower, Blue Streak 5342 on Mount Vernon Visual Runway 1"

"Blue Streak 5342, Washington Tower, winds are 320/17G25 can you take Runway 33?"

30 sec pause

"Yeah we can do Runway 33 for Bluestreak 5342"

"Bluestreak 5342 (unclear) bridge make the turn for 33, cleared to land 33"

"Change to Runway 33, cleared to land 33 bluestreak 5342"

Other traffic being handled to Runway 1.

Approx 2.5 mins to crash:

Pat25: "PAT25 memorial."

Tower: Pat25 rodger.

Approx 1:20 till crash:

Tower: "PAT25 traffic just south of (unclear) bridge is a CRJ at 1,200ft turning for Runway 33"

PAT25: PAT25 has the Traffic in sight, request visual separation

Tower: Visual separation approved.

Tower: "American 1631 winds are (unclear) no delay, traffic on 3 mile final for Runway 33 cleared for immediate takeoff"

"Cleared for takeoff, AA1631"

Approximately 10 seconds prior to collision

Tower: "PAT25 do you have the CRJ in sight?"

Tower: "PAT25 (unclear maybe pass behind) CRJ"

Pat25: Affirm. Pat 25 has traffic in sight request visual separation.

Tower: Separation.

15 seconds later

"Tower, AA472 (unclear)"

"American 472 washington tower" alarms going off "Oooh!" "Oh my god!" *click

15 seconds later

"Tower, did you see that?"

Tower frantically begins commanding go arounds and deconfliction.

[jon-nyc]

According to NYT divers are there but waiting until morning to go in the water. Not a good sign.

[jon-nyc]

New Secretary of Transportation was sworn in Tuesday and visited his office for the first time just hours before this. Literally trial by fire.

[Mik]

There were a lot of figure skaters on the plane coming back from an event in Wichita.

[jon-nyc]

Ugh

[Doctor Phibes]

God, how awful. Was it very windy last night? It was around here. Not sure whether that could have contributed

[LuFins Dad]

@Doctor-Phibes said in Helicopter Crash in DC:

God, how awful. Was it very windy last night? It was around here. Not sure whether that could have contributed

Yes.

[Jolly]

Just an opinion...

Jets like the Bombardier don't have a lot of visibility looking down from the cockpit. The helicopter surely has a lot more total visibility. With all the lights of that urban setting at night and figuring in the short runways, I'm guessing Reagan is not an easy place to land at that time of the day.

Going forward, we're going to have to address helicopters and commercial jet traffic, and whether any helicopter visual separation is allowed by the tower (assuming the tower has the helicopter on radar).

[George K]