Air Traffic Controller Audio Captures Moments Before and After Washington Plane Crash

Air Traffic Controller Audio Captures Moments Before and After Washington Plane Crash
Debris is seen at the site of the crash, after American Eagle flight 5342 collided with a Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Reagan Washington National Airport on Jan. 30, 2025. Ken Cedeno/Reuters
Reuters
Updated:

WASHINGTON—Air traffic control audio recorded the moments before and after an American Airlines regional passenger jet crashed with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in a midair collision over Washington on Wednesday night.

Audio from LiveATC.net, a respected source for in-flight recording, captured the final communications between the three crew members of the helicopter—call sign PAT25—before it collided with the CRJ700 Bombardier jet carrying 64 passengers and crew.