Newly released air traffic control data has shed more light on the devastating American Airlines crash.
American Airlines flight 5342 was coming in to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on January 29 when the tragedy occurred.
An American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas, collided midair with a military Black Hawk helicopter. Credit: Handout / Getty
The plane struck a U.S. Military Black Hawk helicopter, causing both aircraft to fall into the Potomac River.
Of all the 64 people on the plane and three on the helicopter, there were no survivors.
As investigators continue to unravel the series of events that led to this tragedy, new air traffic control data may shed new light on the situation.
According to newly analyzed air traffic control radar data, the Black Hawk helicopter, which was carrying three soldiers, was flying 100 feet higher than permitted in the airspace, per the Independent.
The aircraft, piloted by Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28, alongside Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, was on a routine training exercise at the time of the accident.
The wreckage is being removed from the river. Credit: Chip Somodevilla / Getty
Regulations set the maximum altitude for helicopters in the designated training area at 200 feet. However, authorities confirmed that air traffic control data indicated the Black Hawk was flying at approximately 300 feet.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) noted that radar readings are rounded to the nearest 100 feet, meaning the actual altitude was between 251 and 349 feet.
Meanwhile, the American Airlines jet had been cleared to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and was descending at approximately 325 feet when the collision occurred.
The investigation continues, with officials hoping that recovering the Black Hawk wreckage from the Potomac River will provide further insight into the crash.
On Tuesday, February 4, officials confirmed that all 67 victims had been recovered from the water, with all but one positively identified.
Sadly, there were no survivors. Credit: Al Drago / Getty
Emergency responders described the mental and emotional toll of the recovery operation, with one firefighter stating that crews were “emotionally wiped out”.
Among those on board was Elizabeth Keys, a Washington-based attorney.
Keys graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2020 and worked as an attorney for Wilkinson Stekloff.
In a statement to ABC News, her mother said: “She loved deeply and was deeply loved. Liz was a warm, generous woman. She was so fun – and funny.
“Liz had a sharp wit and appreciated it in others. Gatherings were always better when Liz was there; she was filled with light and joy. Liz was a dear friend to so many, offering her best self to them all.”
“Elizabeth was strong and fearless – she embraced life at full speed,” her mom added.
“Liz was always surrounded by friends on her ski trips out West, where she described skiing as ‘flying’, and frequently visited her favorite place, Hawaii, to hike and relax on the beach. Every weekend was full: Liz and David especially loved hosting their friends around their fire pit at their home in DC.”
She had initially been scheduled on a later flight, but made the decision to alter her travel times.
Keys made the decision so she could get home early to go on a date with her long-term boyfriend David Seidman in celebration of her birthday.