What we know about the crash and investigation
- All 67 people aboard an American Eagle flight from Kansas and an Army helicopter were killed in a collision Wednesday night over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, officials said.
- The cause of the collision is unclear, and the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. A source familiar with the investigation told NBC News a single air traffic controller was atypically handling both planes and helicopters in the area.
- Investigators last night recovered two flight data recorders — black boxes — from the American Eagle jet and recovery teams are preparing to return to the river this morning.
- President Donald Trump implied that diversity, equity and inclusion programs could be the cause, although an investigation has only just begun.
- Among the passengers on the doomed flight were elite figure skaters returning from a training camp in Wichita, labor union members and beloved relatives.
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American Airlines CEO praises Trump administration’s response
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom thanked the Trump administration for its response to the crash and pledged to help increase aviation safety.
“We are all hurting as we continue to grieve the loss of our passengers and team members. I thank President Trump for his leadership on aviation safety. I applaud him, Secretary Duffy and the Administration for taking quick and decisive action today to restrict helicopter activity around DCA,” Isom said in a statement.
“In the days ahead, we will work tirelessly with the Administration and leaders in Congress to make our aviation system even safer, including by increasing investments in infrastructure, technology and personnel,” he said
Black boxes from D.C. plane crash in good condition, NTSB says
The two black boxes that were recovered from the the jet involved in the Washington, D.C., area plane crash are in good condition and the data downloaded is being analyzed, the National Transportation Safety Board tells NBC News.
The NTSB hopes to provide more information on the flight data recovered from the American Airlines plane in their afternoon briefing tomorrow.
'The skaters adored them': Boston Skating Club CEO says coaches lost in crash are irreplaceable
Doug Zeghibe, CEO and executive director of the Skating Club of Boston, told MSNBC today his next step after losing two of his coaches, Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, is to determine how to replace coaches he said he can't "imagine replacing."
"They're what we would call developmental coaches. They took kids from their very first steps on the ice, and they turned them into champions, including their son, Max," he said.
"They had very high standards, but they were just the kindest, most professional and then gentle folks," Zeghibe said. "Their skaters just adored them."
All bodies expected to be recovered, but jet fuselage will need to be removed from Potomac first
In a news briefing today, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said all the bodies from the collision are expected to be recovered.
Donnelly said 41 sets of remains have been recovered of the 67 people aboard both the American Airlines plane and Black Hawk helicopter. But he added that the plane's fuselage will need to be removed from the Potomac River in order to access the rest of the remains.
The weather in the D.C. area, which includes fog, has not impacted the recovery efforts so far, he said.
Army identifies 2 of the soldiers in Black Hawk helicopter
Two of the three soldiers involved in the fatal midair collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet near Reagan National Airport have been identified by the U.S. Army.
Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, is presumed deceased pending a positive identification.
The remains of 39-year-old Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves of Great Mills, Maryland, have not yet been recovered. He remains classified as duty status-whereabouts unknown (DUSTWUN) as officials continue recovery efforts, according to the U.S. Army.
At the family's request, the third soldier’s name has not been released and is also listed as DUSTWUN, the U.S. Army said.
The Black Hawk, assigned to the 12th Aviation Battalion at Davison Army Airfield in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, was conducting a training mission when the crash occurred at approximately 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, the U.S. Army said.
"Our top priority is to assist in the recovery efforts, while fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other investigative agencies to determine the cause of this tragic incident,” said Major General Trevor J. Bredenkamp, commander Joint Task Force — National Capital Region/U.S. Army Military District of Washington.
Thick fog settles over Potomac River, obscuring recovery efforts
On top of rainy and near-freezing weather conditions, a thick fog has settled above the surface of the Potomac River today.
The first responders' boats that have been out all morning conducting recovery operations at the crash site are either invisible through the fog, or have left the river as the conditions have changed.
The water in the Potomac is still hovering just above freezing, while the air temperature has climbed above 50 degrees, with a lot of humidity lingering in the air between bursts of rain.
Kansas lawmaker calls for independent investigation, criticizes Trump for speculation
U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-Kan., is calling for a comprehensive federal investigation of the Potomac crash and support for the victims' families.
Davids, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, told MSNBC today that the tragedy required an independent inquiry by the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense.
“We need to make sure we give (these agencies) all the support and resources they need so they can do an independent, thorough investigation,” said Davids.
The congresswoman also pushed back on speculation about the crash, referencing President Donald Trump's insinuations and accusations, and cautioned that not all facts are available.
“Right now we don't have all of those facts, contrary to what some folks out there — including the president — might be saying,” Davids said.
Davids stressed the need for immediate support for those affected.
“There are going to be 67 people’s families, loved ones, friends, colleagues, communities that are going to feel the impacts of this for the rest of our lives,” she said.
Artist drives from Dallas to D.C. to memorialize victims: 'We are resilient'
Though Roberto Marquez doesn't know any of the 67 victims personally, he now stands in the cold, rainy Washington, D.C., weather where he's promised to stay until all those killed have a proper memorial.
Marquez, an artist known for traveling cross-country to memorialize victims of tragedy, drove from Dallas, Texas, to DCA when he heard about the crash.
Today, he hopes to finish 20 memorials — handmade, painted crosses adorned with flowers — and return in the following days until he finishes all 67. He hopes to give families, friends and communities a proper place to honor the victims.
"A memorial is very important because it is a place where people come to gather, where people can come to cry and share their prayers, a place that becomes a temple where we highlight the names of those deceased and perhaps compliment them with photos," Marquez said in Spanish. "And it’s also a place where we can bring all our flowers, our candles, and gather."
Marquez emphasized his desire to bring communities together and offer support where possible.
"The weather doesn’t stop me," he said. "I feel that when you want to do something, you do it regardless. I think the people that died, they suffered the biggest sacrifice. And for me to come and build crosses and do this small gesture of support, it is something that I'll do it with all my heart."
Over 120 flights canceled at DCA after crash; officials worry increase in traffic affected safety
Poor weather conditions and the closure of Runway 33, which flight 5342 was meant to land on Wednesday, has led to over 120 flights being canceled at Reagan National Airport (DCA) today, officials at the the airport said.
Runway 33 is closed because of its proximity to the crash area, and there is no timeline to reopen it due to recovery work taking place nearby. Poor weather conditions in the D.C. area have resulted in low ceilings, which impact visibility for pilots.
Reagan National Airport manager Terrence Liercke said during a briefing today that the runway will remain closed until Monday, when the situation will be reassessed.
In the wake of the crash, officials at DCA say the airport was designed to handle about 15 million passengers annually, but are now handling around 25 million people. There has been a discussion for years between airport officials and elected leaders about whether air traffic safety is impacted by this dramatic increase.
There are roughly 100 helicopter flights in and around DCA every day, according to airport officials.
‘Our hearts are broken’: Wichita mayor speaks out on D.C. crash
The mayor of Wichita, Kansas, where the American Airlines plane departed from before its fatal collision, spoke with MSNBC's José Díaz-Balart today to share how the city is coping with the aftermath of the Washington, D.C., area crash.
“Here in Wichita right now, our hearts are broken,” Mayor Lily Wu said.
Wu said that she is grateful to have lines of communication with local, state and federal officials. She identified Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy among the leaders in communication with her office.
"The investigation needs to be had, but right now the focus in the city of Wichita is on the families who have been impacted, the individuals who have friends who were on that flight," Wu said. "And my complete focus will be on that first and foremost, especially as the names of those individuals are coming out.”