NTSB Investigating Deadly Crash Between Regional Jet, Military Helicopter

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has begun an investigation into the deadly mid-air collision between an American Eagle regional jet and a military helicopter that left all 67 people onboard the aircraft dead.

What Happened in the Crash?

The collision involved a regional jet out of Wichita, Kansas, that was preparing to land and a military helicopter that was on a training exercise, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

A few minutes before the jet was to land, air traffic controllers asked American Airlines Flight 5342 if it could do so on a shorter runway, and the pilots agreed. Controllers cleared the jet to land and flight tracking sites showed the plane adjust its approach to the new runway.

Less than 30 seconds before the collision, an air traffic controller asked a helicopter if it had the arriving plane in sight. The controller made another radio call to the helicopter moments later, saying “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ” — apparently telling the copter to wait for the Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine jet to pass. There was no reply. Seconds after that, the aircraft collided.

What Did Video Show?

A grainy snippet of video footage taken in the dark of night, seemingly by an airport CCTV camera, appears to show the fatal mid-air collision.

In the first moments of the video footage, nothing seems untoward. It shows scenes one would expect from any bustling airport — including another passenger aircraft taxiing in the foreground.

A bright light flashing cherry red atop that plane’s fuselage as it maneuvered carefully past a retractable gangway was the only dash of color in the otherwise largely monochrome picture — before the angry fireball that subsequently punctures the night sky.

Who Was on the Plane?

The collision was the deadliest U.S. air crash in nearly 24 years. At least 28 bodies have been pulled from the icy waters.

Among the passengers were members of the Skating Club of Boston who were returning from the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. They included teenage figure skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, the teens’ mothers and two highly regarded Russian-born coaches, Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won a 1994 world championship in pairs skating.

What Do We Know About the Investigation?

NTSB holds first briefing

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said Thursday at a press conference that “we look at facts on our investigation and that will take some time.”

She was responding to a question on speculation about the cause of the crash.

Homendy also said the black boxes from the aircraft have not been recovered yet.

Attorney says airport’s crowded space is well-known fact

The crowded airspace around the airport was well known before the crash, said Robert Clifford, an aviation attorney from Chicago involved in numerous airline disaster cases.

“I can’t get over how stunningly clear it is that this was a preventable crash and this should never, ever have occurred,” Clifford told The Associated Press.

“There have been discussions for some time about the congestion associated with that and the potential for disaster. And we saw it come home last night,” Clifford said.

Conclusion

The investigation into the deadly mid-air collision between a regional jet and a military helicopter is ongoing. The NTSB is working to determine the cause of the crash and the facts surrounding it. In the meantime, the families of the victims are left to mourn the loss of their loved ones.

FAQs

* What happened in the crash?
The collision involved a regional jet out of Wichita, Kansas, that was preparing to land and a military helicopter that was on a training exercise.
* How many people were on the plane?
All 67 people onboard the aircraft were killed in the crash.
* What was the cause of the crash?
The cause of the crash is still unknown and is being investigated by the NTSB.
* When will the black boxes be recovered?
The black boxes from the aircraft have not been recovered yet.
* Who was on the plane?
The plane was carrying members of the Skating Club of Boston, including teenage figure skaters and their coaches, as well as three soldiers on a training exercise.