See It: Radar Track Raises Questions About DC Air Crash - Same Questions Trump Asked Immediately Afterward
After Wednesday night’s collision between an American Airlines flight and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, many in the public and in government are understandably demanding answers as to just what went wrong.
A few hours after the collision, footage of the radar tracking the helicopter and flight was released.
It shows the paths of both moments before the incident.
This helicopter flight path has got to make you wonder…pic.twitter.com/kA3g9iXMOC
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) January 30, 2025
From the information available, it does appear that the helicopter went into the path of the airliner as it was approaching the airport.
Questions arose immediately as to how this could have happened.
Notably, President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to comment, calling the crash, “a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.”
“The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT,” the president said.
He asked several questions including, “[W]hy didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn.”
“Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane,” Trump also asked.
Only hours removed from that tragic moment, more questions than answers are coming up without all the details being known.
The president is understandably asking questions, and the families of those who lost their lives will surely be demanding to know, as well.
Retired U.S. Air Force pilot Buzz Patterson posted his answer.
The American flight was on final approach. The tower asked if the Black Hawk had the RJ in sight. Simple pilot error. https://t.co/ZJF91dCinu
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) January 30, 2025
Patterson called the crash a “simple pilot error” as the airliner was making its decent into D.C. on final approach.
As a retired pilot, Patterson seems like a trustworthy source here, but the radar will undoubtedly prompt wild speculation.
Tragedy often provokes numerous theories, some well outside the realm of possibility.
The fact that the crash happened in our nation’s capital will only fuel those theories not even a day removed from it.
Trump and his administration have been briefed on the matter, and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth posted to X, stating an investigation by his department will be conducted.
Hopefully for the sake of the heartbroken families of those lost, we can get answers.
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