Story Of Potomac River Plane Crash That Killed 78 People 48 Years Ago Resurfaces After Wednesday’s Deadly American Airlines Collision With Black Hawk Helicopter
Memories of a plane crash from 43 years ago have been revived following Wednesday night’s tragic incident involving an American Airlines flight and U.S. Army helicopter.
The icy Potomac River remains the scene of a terrible crash after the aircraft collided near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on the night. The plane, Flight AA5342, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, while there were three American soldiers on the helicopter.
Authorities don’t believe anyone survived.
American Airlines Flight 5342 Not Thie First To Go Into The Potomac River
Where crashes are concerned, this isn’t a first for the Potomac River. Back in 1982, Air Florida Flight 90 went down into a then ice-capped Potomac after hitting the 14th Street Bridge.
A total of 78 people were killed in the January 13 incident, but there were five survivors.
The National Transportation Safety Board investigated and concluded that the accident resulted from multiple failures, including the flight crew’s failure to remove excessive ice and snow from the plane’s wings and engine while it was on the ground.
Florida Flight 90 was leaving the airport for Fort Lauderdale.
The American Airlines flight from Wednesday was attempting to land at the airport after flying in from Kansas when it collided with the chopper, which apparently flew into its flight path.