American Airlines plane crash: Control tower staff covering two roles, details of recent close call emerge
As many as 40 bodies have now been recovered from the Potomac River, along with the black boxes, after a plane and a helicopter crashed near Washington DC, with shocking details of a near miss just a day earlier emerging at the same location.
American Airlines flight 5342 was approaching runway 33 to land on Thursday when it collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter flying over the waterway. It was the worst aviation disaster in US history since 2001
The American Eagle plane, a smaller passenger jet for US domestic travel, carried 64 people onboard including passengers and crew, with the US Army chopper having three service personnel onboard.
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The claims come as details of a near miss between another plane and helicopter have emerged, an incident that occurred just 24 hours prior to the fatal American Airways crash.
On Wednesday, air traffic control at Ronald Reagan National Airport was reportedly supervising the landing of Republic Airways Flight 4514, when it had to be diverted due to a helicopter in its path.
“There’s a helicopter over Georgetown northbound 300 feet,” a controller said in audio now published on LiveATC.net.
The pilot was forced to complete an emergency turn and raise its altitude before safely completing a second landing attempt.
The region is understood to have suffered from poor recruitment for air traffic control since the COVID pandemic.
In a report submitted to Congress in 2023, the tower was identified as understaffed, having 19 certified workers — far short of the Union’s call for a minimum of 30.
The shortage led controllers to take on extra shifts, sometimes working six out of seven days, with shifts often lasting 10 hours.
The on-shift staff numbers at the time of the fatal American Airways disaster are not yet known, with the National Transportation Safety Board refusing to comment.
“We have not reviewed any specific reports about the controllers at this time,” NTSB board member Todd Inman said at a press conference on Thursday.
The concerns over staffing come as rescue crews confirm they have searched all accessible areas of the Potomac River, now preparing for a crane and other specialty equipment to be used as the plane wreckage is retrieved.
American Airlines passengers identified
American Airlines is understood to have made contact with the families of most of the people onboard flight 5342 to confirm their deaths, with their identities beginning to emerge as grieving loved ones pay tribute to those who died.
Amongst those on the American Eagle plane were 14 people returning from a figuring skating development camp, a group of friends on a hunting trip, Latin Americans, and Chinese nationals.
Vadim Naumov, Evgenia Shishkova, Jinna Han, Jin Han, Spencer Lane, Christine Lane, Alexandr Kirsanov, Samuel Liley, Ian Epstein, Wendy Jo Shaffer, Brielle Beyer and Justyna Beyer are among those now identified.
US Army military personnel identified
Andrew Eaves and Ryan O’Hara have been reported as two of the three military personnel who died when the Black Hawk helicopter and commercial jet collided.
On Facebook, Carrie Eaves, the wife of Mr Eaves said: “We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today.”
The Parkview High School Marine Corps JROTC posted on Facebook confirming the death of Mr O’Hara.
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of one of our own,” the group wrote.
“Former cadet Ryan O’Hara was the Crew Chief on the Black Hawk involved in last night’s crash in DC. Our deepest condolences go out to Gary O’Hara and his entire family.”