NTSB reveals American Airlines pilot may have tried last-minute maneuver to avoid crash – Washington Examiner
The National transportation Safety board (NTSB) reported on a tragic collision between an American Airlines plane and a Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport, resulting in the death of all 67 people on board, including 64 passengers on the plane and three service members from the helicopter. During a press briefing, NTSB board member Todd Inman revealed that the airline pilot may have attempted a last-minute maneuver to avoid the crash, evidenced by a slight change in the plane’s pitch just before impact. The Board’s investigation indicated that the Black Hawk was flying more than 100 feet above it’s designated altitude but had been recorded at 200 feet, the maximum allowed for its route at the time. Investigators are examining this discrepancy further to understand the circumstances leading to the collision, which occurred between 300 and 350 feet above ground. Recovery efforts have so far retrieved 41 bodies from the Potomac River.
NTSB reveals American Airlines pilot may have tried last-minute maneuver to avoid crash
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Saturday that the pilot of the American Airlines plane that collided with a Black Hawk helicopter earlier this week may have witnessed the incoming danger and tried to move the plane upward to avoid the crash.
In a press briefing where board members of the NTSB revealed new information about the collision earlier this week that killed 67 people, board member Todd Inman spoke about the “last second” movement of the plane.
“At one point, very close to the impact, there was a slight change in pitch, an increase in pitch,” Inman said of the nose of the plane. “That is something we will get you more detail on.”
The NTSB also revealed that, based on flight data, the Black Hawk was more than 100 feet above its designated height, with the collision occurring between 300 feet and 350 feet above the ground. The Black Hawk was not to exceed 200 feet in the route it was approved to take.
However, data from the air traffic control tower reviewed by investigators showed that the Black Hawk was at 200 feet at the time of the crash, the maximum approved height for the route. Investigators said they are looking into that discrepancy.
“That’s what our job is — is to figure that out,” Inman said. “That’s what we’re doing.”
Late Wednesday night, an American Airlines plane carrying 64 passengers and a Black Hawk helicopter with three service members onboard collided just outside Reagan National Airport in the Washington, D.C., area, with the wreckage plunging into the freezing Potomac River. All 67 people died, and 41 bodies have since been recovered. The third service member on the Black Hawk was identified earlier Saturday after an initial delay by the U.S. Army.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...