The so-called “black box” from the Black Hawk helicopter, which collided with a passenger jet in Washington, D.C., has now been recovered, according to the National Transport Safety Board.
Both boxes from the American Airlines aircraft were previously found, and all three devices will now be taken for analysis, NTSB spokesman Todd Inman said on Friday.
Speaking about the helicopter’s black box, he said: “I can tell you from a visual inspection, we saw no exterior damage that would indicate that it was compromised at this time. So we have a high level of confidence that we will be able to have a full extraction.”
As of Friday morning, 41 bodies had been recovered, officials said, including the three service members on the Black Hawk. All 67 people involved in the crash are presumed dead.
Elsewhere, Jo Ellis, a Black Hawk pilot with the Virginia Army National Guard who is transgender, was falsely identified as the captain flying the U.S. military helicopter.
“I understand some people have associated me with the crash in D.C. and that is false. It is insulting to the families to try to tie this to some sort of political agenda,” she said in a Facebook video with the caption: “proof of life.”
Key Points
- Air traffic controller 'left shift early' leaving another to 'work two jobs'
- Victims of Washington DC plane crash named
- Two 'black boxes' recovered from American Airlines jet
- 28 victims have been positively identified as recovery efforts continue
Mechanical failure or human error? What might've caused the D.C. plane crash that killed 67 people
07:00
,
Mike Bedigan
The fatal midair collision on Wednesday evening between an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet moments away from landing at Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport was a shocking and extremely rare occurrence, according to experts who believe human error is the likeliest explanation behind the tragedy that claimed dozens of lives.
Justin Rohrlich has more:
Teen figure skater shared video of her career dreams before dying in crash with 11-year-old sister
06:00
,
Mike Bedigan
Another jet aborted landing at DCA 24 hours before fatal crash due to helicopter dangers
05:01
,
Josh Marcus
A passenger jet had to suddenly abort its landing at Reagan National Airport because of a helicopter in its flight path, just a day before an airliner and a military helicopter catastrophically collided in the same airspace, highlighting the complications of managing helicopter traffic around the busy Washington-area airport.
On Tuesday night, a Republican Airways Flight radioed air traffic controllers at Reagan they’d gotten an alert about “helicopter traffic below us,” prompting the tower to tell the twin-jet Embraer ERJ 175 jet to “go around,” The Washington Post reports.
“They had to circle back around because there was a helicopter in the flight path,” passenger Richard Hart told the paper of his experience on the flight. “At the time I found it odd. ... Now I find it disturbingly tragic.”
Another flight from Charlotte into the airport had to abort for similar reasons on January 23.
Helicopter traffic to be restricted around DCA
04:00
,
Mike Bedigan
NEW: With the support of @POTUS and in consultation with the @SecDef, effective today, the @FAANews will restrict helicopter traffic around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport airport.
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) January 31, 2025
Today’s decision will immediately help secure the airspace near Reagan Airport, ensuring… pic.twitter.com/Oo6B9H8z8S
Plane black boxes in process of data extraction
03:30
,
Mike Bedigan
Two separate recorders were recovered from the passenger plane, a flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder, according the the National Transport Safety Board.
According to NTSB spokesman Todd Inman, the data recorder was “actually in what we consider good condition” and was soaked in alcohol overnight to help the data extraction process. “We have a high level of confidence that we will be able to get a full download in the very near future,” he said.
Information from the flight data recorder will not be released immediately, as investigators will have to go through and correct up to 2,000 data sets to ensure they are synchronized, Inman said.
The cockpit voice recorder had “water intrusion” after crashing into the Potomac River, which according to Inman is “not uncommon. “We deal with that all the time,” he said. “Our recorders division is one of the best in the country, in the world.”
The voice recorder was also soaked overnight in ionized water, at which point it was put into a vacuum oven in order to extract moisture. The NTSB team is still checking electric connections to determine if they're ready to try a download.
NTSB to only issue recommendations once full report has been finished
03:00
,
Mike Bedigan
The National Transportation Safety Board says it will only issue recommendations on changing rules once the full report on the incident is finished.
“Once this investigative report comes out, we will be advocating, probably for years, for changes that need to be made,” NTSB member Todd Inman said on Friday.
“We will not speculate on what needs to be done until we have the facts,” he said, adding that this incident “should not have happened.”
White House press sec says there are 'deteriorating hiring standards' at FAA
02:30
,
Mike Bedigan
All three service members recovered from Black Hawk helicopter
02:10
,
Mike Bedigan
The bodies of all three service members who were on the Black Hawk helicopter have now been recovered from the wreckage, a source familiar with the recovery efforts has told CNN.
Recap: What we know so far about the mid-air collision near Reagan Airport
02:00
,
Mike Bedigan
All three “black box” devices have been recovered following the midair near Washington, D.C, Wednesday evening, officials have said.
Flight 5342 from Kansas was on the final approach to Ronald Reagan National Airport when it collided with the Black Hawk helicopter before exploding a huge fireball.
There were 67 people aboard the two flights when they crashed, and all are presumed dead.
While questions still remain, here’s what we know so far:
Army identifies two of three Black Hawk crew members
01:30
,
Mike Bedigan
The Army has confirmed the names of two male crew members who were killed when their Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet on Wednesday night.
The men were identified as Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, who was also previously identified by family.
The remains of Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, have not yet been recovered, therefore is duty status-whereabouts unknown.
The Army did not identify the third crew member, a female pilot, citing her family’s request for privacy.
“Our deepest condolences go out to all the families and friends impacted during this tragedy, and we will support them through this difficult time,” said Major General Trevor J. Bredenkamp, commander Joint Task Force
“Our top priority is to assist in the recovery efforts, while fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other investigative agencies to determine the cause of this tragic incident.”
What can the 'black box' tell us about plane crashes?
01:00
,
Mike Bedigan
It's one of the most important pieces of forensic evidence following a plane crash: The so-called “black box."
There are actually two of these remarkably sturdy devices: the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder. And they're typically orange, not black.
Now that all three devices have been recovered by authorities, here’s what you need to know about an aircraft “black box”:
Over 100 family members being briefed on site of crash
00:30
,
Mike Bedigan
NTSB member Todd Inman said that over 100 family members of victims of the deadly collision were now “in the area” and receiving briefings from various law enforcement agencies.
“This investigation continues to progress the way we want it to,” Inman told reporters on Friday.
“As I said, we did family briefings last night and today, there are over 100 family members that are now in the area receiving briefings... they have been briefed by the medical examiner, the fire chief, NTSB chairman and myself.”
All 67 people involved in Wednesday night’s collision are believed to be dead, authorities said.
GoFundMe raise half a million dollars in under 24 hours for DC plane crash victims' families
00:00
,
Mike Bedigan
A GoFundMe hub, created to support the families of those who died in the DC plane crash, has raised almost half a million dollars.
The page collates separate appeals for plane crash victims, and so far includes Casey Crafton, Wendy Jo Shaffer, Mikey Stovall, Justyna Beyer, and her daughter Brielle. Between them, the appeals have raised $498,231 in just 14 hours.
Read more here:
Watch: What we know about victims of Washington DC plane crash
Friday 31 January 2025 23:30
,
Mike Bedigan
Black Hawk's 'black box' also recovered by NTSB
Friday 31 January 2025 23:05
,
Mike Bedigan
The NTSB has also recovered the so-called “black box” from the black hawk helicopter, Inman told reporters.
Both boxes from the American Airlines passenger plane were previously recovered.
“[The device] will begin an evaluation, just as the other two recorders did last night, to determine when and how to take action,” Inman said on Friday.
“I can tell you from a visual inspection, we saw no exterior damage that would indicate that it was compromised at this time. So we have a high level of confidence that we will be able to have a full extraction from that as well.”
Inman added that the NTSB had a “high level of confidence” that information would be extracted from the jet’s black boxes also.
Air traffic control conducting Interviews with key witnesses
Friday 31 January 2025 22:50
,
Mike Bedigan
NTSB spokesperson Todd Inman told reporters on Friday that interviews with witnesses from air traffic control were underway and that the agency was receiving “full cooperation.”
“The ATC group has been conducting interviews today,” he said.
“They're ongoing tonight, they'll be ongoing for probably the next few days. We've had full cooperation in getting the witnesses that we need to to gain those interviews.
“We will then take that information and match it with other data that we're seeking, and if necessary, conduct following the interviews at a later time.”
Watch Live: Friday briefing by NTSB
Friday 31 January 2025 22:42
,
Mike Bedigan
NTSB media briefing to start shortly
Friday 31 January 2025 22:33
,
Mike Bedigan
An evening press conference hosted by the National Transport Safety Board is about to begin.
Follow updates from The Independent here.
Mayor Eric Adams pays tribute to New York victim
Friday 31 January 2025 22:00
,
Kelly Rissman
Today, we learned that one of the 67 victims of the heartbreaking crash on Wednesday was a fellow New Yorker, Melissa Jane Nicandri. At just 28 years old, her life wastragically cut short.
— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) January 31, 2025
My heart and my prayers go out to her loved ones.https://t.co/FM7hAWCj1t
WATCH: What we know about victims of Washington DC plane crash
Friday 31 January 2025 21:45
,
Kelly Rissman
Air traffic controller 'left work early' before deadly crash
Friday 31 January 2025 21:30
,
Kelly Rissman
A supervisor allowed an air traffic controller at Ronald Reagan National Airport to leave early, hours before the passenger plane collided with an Army helicopter in midair, according to reports.
Both aircraft plunged into the icy Potomac River shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday and all 64 passengers on the American Airlines regional jet, along with three soldiers on the Black Hawk helicopter, are presumed dead.
A single controller was left to handle the air traffic of planes and helicopters flying over the airspace when two people would typically be monitoring both flight paths, sources told NBC.
The Federal Aviation Authority reportedly confirmed in a preliminary safety report of the crash that one controller was doing the job of two, according to the New York Times. Airplane and helicopter traffic is normally handled by two separate controllers until 9:30 p.m., but a supervisor allegedly merged the two jobs before the allotted changeover time, a source told the newspaper.
Rhian Lubin has the story.
Who were the soliders on the Black Hawk helicopter that collided with the American Airlines jet?
Friday 31 January 2025 21:15
,
Kelly Rissman
Two of the three soldiers on the ill-fated military helicopter have been identified.
Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland, were identified by the Army Friday.
The name of the third soldier — a female pilot, according to the New York Times — has yet to be revealed.
“At the request of the family, the name of the third Soldier will not be released at this time,” the Army said in a statement.
“Our deepest condolences go out to all the families and friends impacted during this tragedy, and we will support them through this difficult time. Our top priority is to assist in the recovery efforts, while fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other investigative agencies to determine the cause of this tragic incident,” said Maj. Gen. Trevor J. Bredenkamp, commander Joint Task Force – National Capital Region/ U.S. Army Military District of Washington.
NTSB's briefing will now be at 5.30 p.m.
Friday 31 January 2025 20:59
,
Kelly Rissman
The National Transportation Safety Board’s briefing about its investigation into the mid-air collision will now be held at 5.30 p.m.
WATCH: Olympic champion mourns teenage skaters killed in Washington DC crash
Friday 31 January 2025 20:45
,
Kelly Rissman
Recovery operations continue
Friday 31 January 2025 20:30
,
Kelly Rissman
Fire chief Donnelly also said his team believes they know where the remaining bodies are. So far, 41 bodies have been recovered; 67 people died in the tragedy.
“We won’t know for sure until we’re done,” he said at the briefing.
The plane’s fuselage will likely have to be removed from the Potomac River, he added.
Transgender Black Hawk pilot falsely accused of flying helicopter speaks out in 'proof of life' video
Friday 31 January 2025 20:27
,
Kelly Rissman
“Interesting morning,” said Jo Ellis, a Black Hawk pilot with the Virginia Army National Guard, in a Facebook video, dubbed “proof of life.”
Ellis, who is transgender, was falsely identified as the pilot involved in the fatal collision on Wednesday night in the aftermath of Trump’s DEI attacks.
“I understand some people have associated me with the crash in D.C. and that is false. It is insulting to the families to try to tie this to some sort of political agenda. They don’t deserve that, I don’t deserve this.”
In an earlier post, Ellis shared screenshots of X accounts spreading the unsubstantiated claims. One wrote: “So the pilot was trans?...I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“This should be sufficient for you all to end all the rumors,” she said in the video.
Two runways at Reagan National will remain closed for about a week: airport official
Friday 31 January 2025 20:15
,
Kelly Rissman
At a press briefing at Reagan National Airport, vice president and airport manager Terry Liercke predicted the two runways would be closed for about a week.
The closures are to prevent aircraft from taking off or landing over the crash site, he said.
Karoline Leavitt discusses plane crash at briefing
Friday 31 January 2025 20:00
,
Andrew Feinberg
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that President Donald Trump's claim that the Army H-60 helicopter involved in a fatal collision Wednesday night had been flying too high was based on conversations with investigators.
Earlier in the day, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to state that the doomed aircraft was "far about" the 200 foot ceiling under which helicopters are supposed to operate in the busy airspace near Reagan Washington National Airport.
Asked whether Trump was making his comments based on information gleaned from the investigation into the crash, Leavitt replied: "The president based that statement on truth, because it is truth and it's fact, and it was relayed to him by the authorities who are overseeing the investigation into this horrific plane collision."
She added that Trump "continues to be briefed on the collision by everybody across his cabinet," including his defense and transportation secretaries as well as the head of the National Transportation Safety Board.
28 victims have been positively IDed: fire chief
Friday 31 January 2025 19:47
,
Kelly Rissman
D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said 41 bodies have been recovered and 28 of them have been positively identified. Next of kin notifications have been made to 18 families, he said.
White House press secretary echoes Trump's DEI remarks
Friday 31 January 2025 19:45
,
Kelly Rissman
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed Trump's DEI rhetoric, saying there are “deteriorating hiring standards” at the FAA.
The president continues to be briefed about the collision, she said.
“People should not be hired based on their disabilities, their skin colors, or their race...It’s about competence, skill and merit,” Leavitt added.
GoFundMe appeals raise half a million dollars in under 24 hours for DC plane crash victims' families
Friday 31 January 2025 19:30
,
Kelly Rissman
A GoFundMe hub, created to support the families of those who died in the DC plane crash, has raised almost half a million dollars.
The page collates separate appeals for plane crash victims, and so far includes Casey Crafton, Wendy Jo Shaffer, Mikey Stovall, Justyna Beyer, and her daughter Brielle. Between them, the appeals have raised $498,231 in just 14 hours.
The American Airlines jet was on the final approach to Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., when it collided midair with a military Black Hawk helicopter claiming the lives of 67 people.
Read the full story.
What might've caused the D.C. plane crash
Friday 31 January 2025 19:15
,
Kelly Rissman
The fatal midair collision on Wednesday evening between an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet moments away from landing at Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport was a shocking and extremely rare occurrence, according to experts who believes human error is the likeliest explanation behind the tragedy that claimed dozens of lives.
In audio of the tower at Reagan communicating with the helicopter crew, a controller can be heard asking if they have the airplane in visual range, telling the chopper to pass behind the jet. Moments later, the two smacked into one another, killing all 64 people on the plane, which was flying in from Wichita, Kansas, and the three service members aboard the Black Hawk. On Thursday, officials with the National Transportation Safety Board told reporters they were not yet certain of the tragedy’s root cause.
Philip Greenspun, an MIT professor and former Delta pilot who flew the same Canadair Regional Jet involved, touched down at the same airport countless times. To his mind, the crash was most likely the result of human error stemming from a confluence of factors.
Justin Rohrlich has the story.
Who was flying the American Airlines plane and Black Hawk helicopter?
Friday 31 January 2025 19:00
,
Kelly Rissman
Dozens of bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River after an American Airlines jet collided with a U.S. Army helicopter, claiming the lives of 67 people.
Authorities are going through the gruesome process of identifying the victims found so far, as families of people on board are forced to wait to have their worst fears confirmed.
Among those who have been identified are the personnel flying the two aircraft. The American Airlines crew included Captain Jonathan Campos, 34, and First Officer Sam Lilley, 28. The Blackhawk crew included instructor pilot Andrew Eaves. His female co-pilot has yet to be named.
Read the full story.
A soon-to-be-married American Airlines pilot among victims
Friday 31 January 2025 18:45
,
Rhian Lubin, Tara Cobham, Alex Croft
Sam Lilley, 28, was one of two people piloting the flight from Wichita, Kansas, his father Timothy Lilley told Fox 5 Atlanta.
The young pilot was engaged, his dad said adding that he feared the worst when his son failed to check in after the flight as usual.
“This is undoubtedly the worst day of my life,” Lilley told Fox 5.
Lilley served as an Army helicopter pilot for 20 years, telling Fox 5 that he has flown a similar route over the Potomac River.
“I think the PSA jet was doing everything right,” he said. “The Army pilot made a grave error. It hurts me because those are my brothers, and now my son is dead.”
WATCH: Disabled pilot speaks out after Trump blames diversity and inclusion for DC plane crash
Friday 31 January 2025 18:30
,
Kelly Rissman
Teenage crash victim shared dream of skating for Team USA in heartbreaking interview
Friday 31 January 2025 18:15
,
Kelly Rissman
A teenage figure skater who died in the American Airlines plane crash shared her dreams of representing Team USA in heartbreaking footage taken before her death.
Tributes have poured in for 14-year-old Everly Livingston and her 11-year-old sister, Alydia, who died when American Airlines Flight 5342 and a US military helicopter collided in a huge fireball before plunging into the icy-cold Potomac River near Reagan airport.
In resurfaced footage from last year, Everly, who was then 13, told Fox5 DC about her dreams of representing the USA internationally in the future.
Alex Croft has the story.
Federal workers urged to find 'higher productivity' jobs
Friday 31 January 2025 18:00
,
Kelly Rissman
FAA employees received an email late Thursday — just one day after the fatal collision — from the Office of Personnel Management encouraging them to seek ‘higher productivity’ jobs in the private sector.
“We encourage you to find a job in the private sector as soon as you would like to do so,” read the email, which was reviewed by The New York Times. “The way to greater American prosperity is encouraging people to move from lower productivity jobs in the public sector to higher productivity jobs in the private sector.”
Federal employees at other agencies also received the email, the outlet reported. But the message likely hit the FAA particularly hard, as the agency is already under scrutiny for its staffing during the incident.
An air traffic controller was given the job of two people after one worker clocked off early on Wednesday evening, the night of the crash.
The mass email was sent days after the same White House office sent out another email blast, which offered a nearly eight-month buyout to employees if they choose to quit by February 6.
In photos: Memorials are being set up across the country to mourn plane crash victims
Friday 31 January 2025 17:45
,
Kelly Rissman
Trump won't visit Washington DC plane crash site because it's 'the water'
Friday 31 January 2025 17:30
,
Kelly Rissman
Donald Trump responded sarcastically to questions about whether he would be visiting the site of the deadly crash over the Potomac River in Washington D.C., asking reporters at the White House: “You want me to go swimming?”
The president said on Thursday he would be meeting with some of the families of victims of the tragedy, which occurred at Ronald Reagan Airport Wednesday night. All 67 people involved in the crash are presumed dead, authorities said previously.
When asked about his plans to visit the crash site, he replied: “I have a plan to visit, not the site. Because you tell me, what’s the site? The water? You want me to go swimming?”
Mike Bedigan has the story.
Tracked: American Airlines plane collides with US Army helicopter near DC airport
Friday 31 January 2025 17:19
,
Kelly Rissman
Kansas biology teacher among the victims
Friday 31 January 2025 17:15
,
Kelly Rissman
Lindsey Fields, a Kansas biology professor, lost her life in the fatal collision, according to the National Association of Biology Teachers.
“Lindsey was traveling to represent the NABT community and advocate for excellence in life science education. This is a tremendous loss. Please keep Lindsey, the other victims, and their families in your hearts. We also ask that you respect the privacy of her loved ones at this time.”
Butler Community College also shared a statement with the Butler County Times Gazette: “With broken hearts we send our condolences to her family and friends, and the students, faculty and staff whom we know without a doubt were positively impacted by Lindsey’s energy and dedication to her craft.”
“Lindsey was a colleague, friend, and educator who dedicated her wisdom and talents to changing students’ lives every day. We owe her much gratitude for sharing her light with us and we will forever feel this loss. We send much love and support to her family and friends during this most difficult time,” the statement read.
WATCH: Moment air traffic control gasps as American Airlines plane and US military chopper collide
Friday 31 January 2025 17:00
,
Kelly Rissman
Friday 31 January 2025 16:45
,
Kelly Rissman
Speaking on Fox News Friday morning, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said he believed there was a staffing shortage among air traffic controllers at the time of the collision, but the investigation will reveal more.
He then echoed Trump’s finger-pointing at the FAA’s DEI policies.
“The environment around which we choose pilots and air traffic controllers, as the president pointed out correctly yesterday, better be the highest possible standard. The best of the best,” he said.
“I don’t care what background they come from, what their race is, what their gender is, if they’re rich or they’re poor. I just need them to be good at their job because I need my flight to land safely,” Hegseth continued.
According to data reviewed by Axios, most air traffic controllers and airfield operations specialists were white men.
When lives are on the line, you better have the "HIGHEST POSSIBLE STANDARD," says @SecDef @PeteHegseth.
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) January 31, 2025
"In the business of warfighting, which the @DeptofDefense is in, if you don't have the BEST OF THE BEST, you lose people — and that's why this is so important." pic.twitter.com/cPNkjzmSkw
Former FAA air traffic manager defends controllers after Trump's DEI digs
Friday 31 January 2025 16:40
,
Kelly Rissman
The air traffic control profession is a “meritocracy,” Michael McCormick, a former FAA air traffic manager, told CNN Friday.
“Only the best can go through the rigorous selection program, the screening program and then one-to-five-year training program prior to receiving their certification,” he said.
McCormick defended air traffic controllers after President Donald Trump linked the federal agency’s DEI policies to the collision.
In photos: Wreckage along the Potomac, days after tragedy
Friday 31 January 2025 16:30
,
Kelly Rissman
Young civil rights attorney and former beauty pageant winner is among victims
Friday 31 January 2025 16:15
,
Rhian Lubin, Tara Cobham and Alex Croft
Kiah Duggins, who was on her way home to Washington, D.C., from Kansas, worked as an attorney for the Civil Rights Corps.
Friends described her as “a brave and beautiful soul, a light in the fight for civil rights.”
The 30-year-old had been in Wichita to be with her mother during a surgical procedure, according to KMUW. Duggins’ family members confirmed to the outlet on Thursday that she was aboard the flight.
Her father, Maurice Duggins, said in a statement: “We are coming to terms with the grief associated with the loss of our beautiful and accomplished firstborn. Please respect our family’s privacy at this time.”
Duggins was a former Miss Kansas contestant and was placed in the top 10 of the Miss Butler County 2014 - 2015 pageant.
Hundreds of thousands of donations have poured in to assist with funeral costs, expenses
Friday 31 January 2025 15:46
,
Kelly Rissman
Loved ones of some of the D.C. plane crash victims created four verified GoFundMe pages in the wake of the tragedy.
The funds will go toward the funeral expenses and families of those whose lives were lost in the fatal collision: Casey Crafton, Wendy Jo Shaffer, Mikey Stovall, and Brielle and Justyna Beyer.
You can find those fundraisers here: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/help-dc-plane-crash
Helicopter flights near Reagan Airport restricted indefinitely: report
Friday 31 January 2025 15:43
,
Kelly Rissman
The Federal Aviation Administration is indefinitely limiting helicopter flights near Reagan National Airport, Reuters reported.
The restrictions, which will be in place “for the foreseeable future,” include helicopter routes 1 and 4 at the airport, according to the outlet.
The federal agency will also only permit police and medical helicopters in the area between the airport and nearby bridges.
Both black boxes from the American Airlines plane have been recovered — but what are they?
Friday 31 January 2025 15:30
,
Tim Hepher
The name is a misnomer; they are not actually black but high-visibility orange. Experts disagree how the nickname originated but it has become synonymous with the quest for answers when planes crash.
Many historians attribute their invention to Australian scientist David Warren in the 1950s. Earliest devices recorded limited data on wire or foil. Later devices switched to magnetic tape. Modern ones use computer chips inside hard casings.
There are two recorders: a Cockpit Voice Rec
