Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs The black hawk helicopter involved in a fatal midair collision with a passenger jet near D.C.’s Ronald Reagan National Airport may have been flying off its pre-approved flight path, The New York Times reports.Newsweek reached out to the Army via email Thursday night for comment.Why It MattersThe collision was the first fatal commercial crash in the U.S. since 2009, when a propeller plane crashed near Buffalo, New York killing nearly 50 people.The aviation catastrophe involving an American Airlines (AA) plane and a Sikorsky H-60 military helicopter on Wednesday night sparked a “whole of government” response as local, state, federal and military agencies ascended onto the Potomac River.Recent airplane incidents and close calls have seemingly sparked questions about safety protocols and in a news conference on Thursday President Donald Trump questioned if Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) may be to blame in part for the crash near Reagan National.What To KnowIn their report, the Times says that the black hawk helicopter may have been flying too high and at least half a mile off its approved path, citing multiple people briefed on the matter.The helicopter’s pilot asked to fly on a path that closely followed the east side of the Potomac River and was “no higher than 200 feet,” the Times reports. This route, known as route 4, would have put the black hawk out of the AA’s flight path.However, the helicopter was above 300 feet when the collision with the AA plane occurred, and the black hawk allegedly did not follow the approved path, the Times reports citing the people briefed.The Associated Press also reports that at the time of the collision, there was one air traffic controller coordinating both helicopter traffic and arriving and departing planes, citing a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) report.The FAA report says this staffing “configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic,” the AP says.
People, including law enforcement members, can be seen on a runway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, DC, on January 30, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via…
People, including law enforcement members, can be seen on a runway at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport near Washington, DC, on January 30, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
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The Times also notes that a senior Army official advises using caution in making assessments until the plane’s black box is analyzed along with forensic data.What People Are SayingPresident Trump on Truth Social after the crash on Wednesday night: “The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. 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!!!”Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in a news conference on Thursday in part: “The military does dangerous things; it does routine things on the regular basis. Tragically last night, a mistake was made. I think the president is right, there was some sort of an elevation issue that we have immediately begun investigating at the DOD (Department of Defense) and Army level. Army CID (Criminal Investigation Division) is on the ground investigating, top tier aviation assets inside the DOD are investigating sir to get to the bottom of it so that it does not happen again because it is absolutely unacceptable.”Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on X on Thursday night: “This is not what I expected on my first day on the job to be, but I do believe that God puts us exactly where we’re supposed to be. Tonight, I met with some of the families who lost their loved ones in the plane and helicopter crash last night. Their pain is immeasurable. I can’t take away their pain, but I can do a very small part to help ease it by keeping my promise to get to the bottom of what happened and be 100% transparent about the results of the investigation. They have my word.My heart and the heart of the nation are with them tonight and in the difficult days ahead. May God bless them all. I am in the process of developing an initial plan to fix the @FAANews. I hope to put it out very shortly. Tomorrow, I am going to the FAA command center and recovery hangar. I will continue to keep the families and the public up-to-date with what we are doing in this situation and every other situation that falls under @USDOT.@POTUS is the most transparent president in my lifetime. I intend to reflect that spirit during this investigation and in all my work at @USDOT. Good night for now….tomorrow we get back to work!”Pete Buttigieg, former Transportation Secretary under former President Joe Biden, on X: “Despicable. As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying. We put safety first, drove down close calls, grew Air Traffic Control, and had zero commercial airline crash fatalities out of millions of flights on our watch.President Trump now oversees the military and the FAA. One of his first acts was to fire and suspend some of the key personnel who helped keep our skies safe. Time for the President to show actual leadership and explain what he will do to prevent this from happening again.”What Happens NextMultiple agencies along with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) remain on scene as recovery continues along with the beginning stages of the investigation.
A helicopter is seen flying near the crash site of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after the plane crashed on approach to Reagan National Airport on January 30, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia….
A helicopter is seen flying near the crash site of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after the plane crashed on approach to Reagan National Airport on January 30, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)
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