The Black Hawk helicopter involved in Wednesday night’s deadly mid-air collision with an American Airlines flight was reportedly flying outside its approved flight path and above the designated altitude limit when the crash occurred, resulting in a massive fireball over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport.
According to four individuals briefed on the investigation told NYT, the helicopter should have been flying lower and within a different sector of the airspace surrounding the busy airport.
The pilot had requested permission from air traffic control to use Route 4 at Reagan—a designated flight path along the east side of the Potomac that allows helicopters to operate at a maximum altitude of 200 feet, thereby avoiding conflicts with commercial air traffic.
WATCH: New footage showing the collision as the descending American Airlines flight is hit by the Black Hawk helicopter. pic.twitter.com/9AFgN3pmCn
— Resist Times (@resistupdates) January 31, 2025
The air traffic controller granted the request, instructing the helicopter to maintain visual separation and stay behind the approaching commercial aircraft, as per standard protocol.
However, preliminary findings indicate the helicopter was flying above 300 feet and had deviated at least half a mile from the approved route when the collision occurred.
All three people aboard the helicopter and the 64 passengers and crew members on the American Airlines flight are presumed dead.
Former President Donald Trump commented on the incident via Truth Social, stating, “The Black Hawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200-foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???”
The Blackhawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot. It was far above the 200 foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???
Donald Trump Truth Social Post 08:14 AM EST 01/31/25
— Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) January 31, 2025
A senior Army official, speaking anonymously, urged caution in drawing conclusions until the helicopter’s black box is recovered and analyzed.
The official emphasized that the pilots were experienced and familiar with the route’s strict altitude restrictions and navigation requirements.
Some of the victims aboard the flight from the figure skating community:
– Spencer Lane
– Jinna Han
– Eddie Zhou
– Everly Livingston
– Lydia Livingston
– Franco Aparicio
– Sean Kay
– Angela Yang
– Vadim Naumov
– Evgenia Shishkova
– Inna Volyanskaya pic.twitter.com/6ATg8QosdL— Stephanie Myers (@_StephanieMyers) January 30, 2025
The investigation remains ongoing.