American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said Thursday morning that the regional jet that collided with a Black Hawk military helicopter near Washington, D.C’s Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night was on a standard flight path.
The collision between American Eagle Flight 5342 and the helicopter occurred at about 9 p.m. Wednesday. Officials do not expect to find any survivors.
“At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft,” Isom said at a Thursday morning press conference.
PSA Airlines is an American Airlines subsidiary and one of its regional carriers. American Eagle is how American Airlines brands its regional flights.
“It is not standard to have aircraft collide. I’ll be clear on that,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at the press conference. “But prior to the collision, the flight paths that were being flown from the military and from American, that was not unusual for what happens in the D.C. airspace.”
Isom added that the airline has activated its care team to assist in recovery efforts.
“We’re absolutely heartbroken for the family and loved ones of the passengers and crew members and also for those that were on the military aircraft. Our focus right now is doing everything that we can to support all of those involved and also the PSA Airlines team,” he said.
The commercial jet was flying from Wichita, Kansas, to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and was moments away from landing on the airport runway. Both vehicles crashed into the Potomac River.
Isom urged people to call American’s designated helpline at 1-800-679-8215 to find information on their loved ones.
Isom, who traveled to Washington on Wednesday night, said American’s “go team” has also been deployed to Washington to provide resources for passengers’ and crew members’ families and loved ones. Sixty-four people were aboard the flight, including 60 passengers and four crew members.
Passengers included American and Russian elite figure skaters, their coaches and family members. U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement that the skaters were returning from a training camp in Wichita.
Isom said American is working with local, state and federal authorities on the recovery efforts and that PSA Airlines is cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation.
“I know that there are many questions at this early stage that I just won’t be able to answer, but we’ll provide additional information as it comes,” Isom said.