Summary

An American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided midair near Reagan National Airport, killing at least 18 people.

Trump initially expressed condolences but later questioned why the air traffic control tower or helicopter pilot didn’t prevent the crash.

The FAA identified the plane as a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700.

A Kennedy Center webcam captured the collision, and investigations are ongoing.

CNN’s Pete Muntean called the incident stunning, noting its proximity to a military base.

  • Veedem@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    109
    ·
    23 hours ago

    The questions he’s asking aren’t wrong to ask. The real problem, IMO, is that he’s the president and can’t simply post those questions publicly. He’s an idiot, though, so this is what we get.

    But seriously, he also asks why the Black Hawk pilot didn’t do ANYTHING to avoid a known flight path and I’ve asked the same thing.

    • Bronzebeard@lemm.ee
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      81
      ·
      23 hours ago

      This is the kind of stuff the “deregulate everything” crowd never seems to think about.

      This dumbass is in the process of removing all enforcement of agency regulations and then this prime example of why we have rules in the first place appears

    • cogman@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      34
      ·
      23 hours ago

      Why was the army running a night flight training mission in DC?

      Such a crowded airspace and I’m sure the military didn’t coordinate their flight plans with the local air traffic control.

      • Veedem@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        14
        ·
        23 hours ago

        It’s a valid question, but I just watched a press conference where somebody explained that these aren’t rookie pilots but pilots looking to log the proper amount of flight hours.

      • SuperCub@sh.itjust.works
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        17 hours ago

        I agree, the military is utterly incompetent and arrogant, so this wouldn’t surprise me if it’s the Army’s fault.

      • ramble81@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        2
        ·
        22 hours ago

        Sadly the conspiracy theorist in me asks “who was on that plane that had a hit out out against them?” Latest was saying there were Russian figure skaters on board.

        I hate that my mind goes there but with this freaking administration, anything is possible.