Nearly a week after a devastating mid-air collision over the Potomac River, recovery crews have successfully retrieved all 67 victims from the wreckage, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The deadly crash – which involved an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter – remains under investigation as authorities work to determine how the two aircraft ended up on a collision course.
Final Victims Recovered, Focus Shifts to Wreckage Removal
The tragic incident involved a Bombardier CRJ700 jet operating as American Airlines Flight 5342 and a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter conducting a training mission, per CNN.
With all victims now recovered, attention turns to clearing the remaining debris from the river — an operation that has been slow and painstaking due to the challenging winter conditions.
On Tuesday morning, recovery teams hoisted more pieces of the downed jet from the water, including a section of its fuselage, which was seen lying sideways on a barge with its cabin windows clearly visible.
Later in the afternoon, the aircraft’s tail — adorned with American Airlines’ recognizable red, white, and blue livery — was removed from the river.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 66 of the 67 victims had been identified.
Meanwhile, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has delayed its planned public briefing on the crash for a second consecutive day, citing the need for further verification of data from the Black Hawk’s flight data recorder.
“NTSB needs additional information to verify data points from the Black Hawk,” the agency posted on X (formerly Twitter), adding that a written update would be provided later in the day.
Difficult Recovery Conditions Hamper Operations
Recovering the wreckage from the Potomac has been a grueling effort, made more challenging by the freezing winter temperatures and the mangled state of the aircraft remains.
Divers equipped with specialized hydraulic tools have been working to access submerged portions of the jet’s fuselage. However, the complexity of the wreckage has necessitated the use of larger salvage equipment to remove heavier debris.
The recovery effort has involved nearly every dive team in the region, including units from the US Coast Guard, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, DC Fire, and the International Association of Fire Fighters.
Dean Naujoks, a riverkeeper with the Potomac Riverkeeper Network, was given access to the crash site to assist investigators in searching for debris. Speaking with CNN affiliate WRAL, Naujoks described the scene, saying: “I recovered a window panel, a seat, insulation, an airplane manual, and a bag of sugar packets.
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“Everything was covered in jet fuel.”
“It was just the saddest day I’ve ever been on the river,” he added. “My heart goes out to all the families of the victims.”
Key Findings from Flight Data Recorders
Investigators are now turning their attention to the data recovered from both aircraft’s flight recorders in hopes of determining what went wrong.
Preliminary analysis of American Airlines Flight 5342’s flight data recorder indicates that the aircraft’s nose pitched slightly upward just before impact – suggesting that 34-year-old Captain Jonathan Campos and his 28-year-old co-pilot First Officer Samuel Lilley may have attempted to avoid the impeding danger.
“At one point very close to the impact, there was a slight change in pitch, an increase in pitch,” NTSB member Todd Inman said in a press conference on Saturday evening.
The plane’s data shows it was flying at an altitude of roughly 325 feet at the time of the collision. Meanwhile, air traffic control records suggest the Black Hawk helicopter was supposed to maintain a maximum altitude of 200 feet.
Radar data retrieved from the airport control tower revealed that the helicopter was at 300 feet just before the crash — well above its designated flight corridor. The NTSB’s investigative update, released Tuesday, confirms this discrepancy.
Weather Expected to Complicate Recovery Efforts
As recovery teams continue their work, they now face another hurdle: an incoming winter storm. By Wednesday, Washington, DC, is expected to see a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain — worsening the already treacherous conditions for salvage crews.
Despite these challenges, aviation experts believe investigators will eventually have a clear picture of what caused the disaster.
“We have radar data, we have eyewitnesses, and we have all the wreckage,” Steven Wallace, former director of the FAA’s Office of Accident Investigation, told CNN. “There’s nothing missing.”
For now, recovery teams remain focused on clearing the wreckage and providing answers to the grieving families who lost loved ones in what is now the deadliest aviation disaster in a generation.
As a tribute to those lost in the crash, American Airlines will hold a moment of silence on Wednesday, marking one week since the fatal accident.
