Chilling Audio Captures Moment Helicopter Strikes D.C. Passenger Plane
An audible gasp can be heard in an Air Traffic Control recording from the moment a U.S. Army Black Hawk collided with an American Airlines regional jet in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday night.
In the audio, obtained by the Daily Beast from LiveATC.net, a woman appears to react by saying “oh my Go—” before the audio cuts out, just after the tower at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport tried to communicate with the doomed chopper.
About 15 seconds later, a voice can be heard asking: “Tower, did you see that?”
The ATC recording captured the final exchanges between a controller and those in the helicopter, including a calm warning about its proximity to the oncoming jet—a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 that was arriving from Wichita, Kansas.
The air traffic controller can be heard asking the helicopter, “PAT 2-5 do you have the CRJ in sight?”
The tower then directed the helicopter to go behind the jet, saying, “PAT 2-5 pass behind the CRJ.”
Tragedy would strike moments later over the Potomac River, with the plane’s radio transponder ending transmission about 2,400 feet short of the runway. Officials say the crash happened around 8:47 p.m. EST, with the helicopter, passenger jet, and a combined 67 people between them crashing into the frigid river.
Chaos ensued in the nation’s capital and at its nearest airport. On the ground, a rescue operation to search for survivors in the 34-degree water was launched. Back at Air Traffic Control, the tower got to work diverting traffic away from the area.
Emergency response units assess airplane wreckage in the Potomac River after an American Airlines jet collided with a U.S. Army helicopter on Monday night. / Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
“I don’t know if you caught earlier what happened, but there was a collision on the approach end of 3-3,” a controller told a pilot on the ground. “We are going to be shutting down operations for the indefinite future if you want to go back to the gate. Highly suggest you guys coordinate with the company. Let me know what you want to do.”
In another recorded exchange, another pilot confirms they witnessed the collision over the river.
“Yeah, we were on short final, and we saw flares from the opposite side of the Potomac,” the pilot says.
An approach controller later added, “Apparently both aircraft involved are in the river, a search and rescue will be ongoing.”
Officials would not confirm fatalities overnight, but dozens are feared dead.
