Pilot Perfectly Breaks Down What Likely Caused The Fatal Crash Between American Airlines Flight 5342 And The Black Hawk Helicopter

3. PAT25 was flying on Visual Flight Rules (VFR); flight 4532 on Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). This means that flight 5432 had priority, and the helicopter should have been constantly looking out visually for other aircraft.

4. Moments before the crash, the DCA tower called to PAT25 and asked them to confirm they had the “[other] aircraft in sight.”

5. PAT25 replied that they had the aircraft in sight.

In his final “opinion,” @visionik states that he believes PAT25 was actually looking at the departing flight instead of American Airlines Flight 5342 which was getting set to land, resulting in the deadly tragedy over the Potomac River.

American Airlines CEO Issues Statement After American Airlines Flight 5342 Collides With Helicopter

An American Airlines jet carrying 64 people collided Wednesday with a helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport.

There were no survivors.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom issued a statement late Wednesday after American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River near Washington, D.C.

“I’d like to express our deep sorrow about these events. This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines, and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders, along with their families and loved ones,” Isom said.