(Gray News) – Air traffic control received no response from the Army helicopter less than 30 seconds before it collided with a commercial jet, according to audio from air traffic control.
A few minutes before the plane was set to land, air traffic controllers asked the pilots if they could land the jet on a shorter runway at Reagan International. The pilots said they could.
Controllers then cleared the plane to land and the plane adjusted its path to the new runway.
Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asked the Army helicopter if it could see the plane: “PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight?”
The controller received no response and made another radio call to the Army helicopter: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.”
Seconds later, the Army helicopter and plane collided.
The commercial jet had 60 passengers and 4 crew members aboard.
The collision prompted a large search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River.
All takeoffs and landings from the airport near Washington were halted as helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region flew over the scene in search of survivors.
U.S. Figure Skating said passengers on the jet included a group of figure skaters, their coaches and family members.
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