Investigations Underway After Deadly DC and Philadelphia Aircraft Crashes

Two separate aviation disasters in Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia have claimed 74 lives as recovery and investigations continue.

A mid-air collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Washington, D.C., killed all 67 people aboard both aircraft, marking the deadliest U.S. air disaster in nearly 25 years.
Recovery teams have identified 55 victims from the D.C. crash, with efforts ongoing to locate the remaining 12 bodies in the Potomac River using high-definition cameras and divers.
Investigators are examining conflicting altitude data and cockpit recordings to determine the cause of the D.C. collision, with questions raised about air traffic control operations and pilot visibility conditions.
In Philadelphia, a medical air ambulance transporting a pediatric patient crashed into a residential neighborhood shortly after takeoff, killing all six onboard and one person on the ground, while injuring 19 others and damaging 11 homes.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting parallel investigations into both incidents, with preliminary findings expected within 30 days and full reports anticipated in a year or more.