Multiple federal agencies are investigating a major aviation crash that happened between a regional jet and a helicopter around Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday. The capital area was the benefactor of improved weather over the last couple of days with high temperatures reaching the 60s, which helped break up the ice that had formed along the Potomac River.
WASHINGTON – One of the largest search and rescue operations involving a downed aircraft around the nation’s capital since Sept. 11, 2001, unfolded Wednesday evening, as hundreds of first responders descended on the Potomac River.
The Federal Aviation Administration reported that American Airlines Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Reagan Washington National Airport.
The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and other partner agencies conducted search and rescue efforts well into the evening for the dozens of souls in the chilly waters of the Potomac River.
All aviation traffic into and out of Washington’s Reagan National Airport was halted as authorities swarmed the airport and nearby waterways after the collision.
“There were 60 passengers and four crew members on board the aircraft…Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts,” American Airlines said in part of a statement.
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Search and rescue operations around D.C. after a midair collision.
(FOX Weather)
Unlike the days of January’s arctic blast that sent the mercury well below freezing and created ice along the river, the crash occurred when weather conditions were considered to be mild, with recent daytime temperatures that had reached the 60s. However, water temperatures were still chilly, estimated to be in the 40s, which caused concern over hypothermia.
The U.S. Coast Guard says extended exposure to water that is even around 70 degrees can lead to exhaustion and unconsciousness.
The USGS says once a body’s temperature reaches 95 degrees, a person’s agility and self-rescue abilities become virtually non-existent, which is why people who fall into cold waters can die within minutes.
Once search and rescue operations conclude, the National Transportation Safety Board will be tasked with gathering data from witnesses and black boxes in an effort to determine what went wrong.
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As part of the investigation, federal authorities will examine the weather to determine if winds, visibility or other factors played a role in the tragedy.
A nearby weather observation site reported fair skies and a visibility of around 10 miles at the time of Wednesday’s incident.
Several previous air disasters around the nation’s capital, outside of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, involved weather in some fashion.
In 1947, Eastern Air Lines Flight 854 crashed during its approach to Washington National Airport due in part to poor weather conditions and pilot error.
And in 1982, 78 people were killed when Air Florida Flight 90 crashed shortly after takeoff from Washington National Airport in wintry conditions.