Summary

  • Authorities say that 28 people have been identified following Wednesday's fatal air crash near Washington DC, and expect to find all the bodies of the victims - so far, the remains of 41 have been recovered

  • Helicopter traffic around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has been restricted, which Secretary Sean Duffy says will ensure the safety of plane and helicopter traffic

  • President Trump says the helicopter involved "was flying too high" - but does not provide any evidence to back up the claim

  • White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told reporters that the president "based that statement on the truth" from briefings he has received

  • An investigation is under way to establish what caused the collision between the US army helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane, killing 67 people

  • Investigators have already recovered the flight data recorders, known as black boxes, from the wreckage of the passenger plane - a preliminary report into the crash will be issued in 30 days

Media caption,

Ros Atkins on... the Washington DC plane crash

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  1. Investigators looking at black boxes as restrictions placed on helicopterspublished at 00:24 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February
    published at 00:24 1 February

    With the bodies of 26 victims of Wednesday's fatal crash near Washington DC's Ronald Regan airport as yet unfound, both the recovery efforts in its aftermath and the investigation into its causes are ongoing.

    Here's a quick look at what we've learned about both today:

    • Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said late on Friday they have recovered the black box from the downed helicopter, adding that it is safely at NTSB headquarters and will begin evaluation
    • Todd Inman of the NTSB refused to say whether there had been staffing shortages within air traffic control during the fatal incident, adding "the controller working at the time has been interviewed, and his interviews are ongoing"
    • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has restricted helicopter traffic around the Reagan airport, amid concerns from officials about overcrowding in the airspace overhead
    • Officials say the bodies of 41 of the victims have been found, with 28 people having been "positively identified" so far
    • The rest of the bodies will not be found until officials are able to hoist the plane off the riverbed, Washington DC Fire Chief John Donnelly told reporters at a news conference earlier today
    • Adverse weather in Washington DC is slowing recovery, but officials say that they can continue to work in these conditions
    • Over 300 people are searching the wreckage, with more assistance - including Coast Guard ships and salvage equipment - expected to arrive on Saturday
  2. Helicopter crew were taking part in training for event of attackpublished at 00:07 Greenwich Mean Time 1 February
    published at 00:07 1 February

    Our US partner CBS is reporting that the helicopter crew involved in the crash were taking part in a training exercise in preparation for a case of an attack on Washington DC.

    Citing defence officials, CBS says that flight operations out of Virginia for the 12th Aviation Battalion, which the helicopter belonged to, have now been temporarily suspended.

  3. Pilot who masterminded Hudson River landing 'disgusted' by Trump commentspublished at 23:30 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 23:30 31 January

    Sully Sullenberger looks to his left. The engine of a plane can be seen in the background.Image source, Getty Images

    US pilot Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger, who landed a damaged passenger plane on the Hudson River in New York in 2009, has told MSNBC in the US that he was "disgusted" by President Trump's comments blaming diversity programmes for Wednesday's crash.

    Sullenberger also says he's "not surprised" by the president's reaction.

    Sullenberger described the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is investigating the crash, as the "gold standard of the globe for accident investigation" and called for a measured approach to investigating the crash.

    He also noted that the investigation into his own incident took over 16 months to be completed and the final report into it to be issued.

  4. 'Our job is the make sure this tragedy doesn't happen again'published at 23:13 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 23:13 31 January

    Just before he walked away, ending the media briefing, Inman was asked whether his team is in contact with the White House.

    It comes as Donald Trump continues to make comments about the investigation, posting on his Truth Social app earlier today that the helicopter was flying too high at the time of the crash in his opinion - without providing evidence.

    Inman says that the NTSB chairwoman briefed the White House yesterday, before defending the independence of the board.

    "Our job is to find the facts. More importantly, our job is the make sure this tragedy doesn't happen again - regardless of what anyone may be saying," he said.

    "Our investigators never want to see this happen again," he continued, adding that he personally never wants to have to brief another grieving family.

  5. Inman doesn't confirm reports of low air traffic control staffingpublished at 23:04 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 23:04 31 January

    Inman is now asked about reports that one air traffic controller was doing the job of two people at the time of the crash.

    He says that they will examine the controller's behaviours over the last several weeks, with particular focus on the 72 hours before the crash, and refuses to confirm the report of low staffing.

    He goes on to say that the Federal Aviation Administration is involved in the air traffic control investigation.

    "Obviously we'll be looking at not only staffing that day...[but also] how many people, what job functions they've done, are they being combined," says Inman.

    He says that he can't answer how many controllers were working that day.

    "I know that the controller that was working at the time has been interviewed. And his interviews are ongoing throughout the day."

  6. NTSB declines to comment on leaked air traffic control tapespublished at 23:01 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 23:01 31 January

    When asked about how long debris removal will take, Inman says: "I can make no guarantees of that, because first and foremost we need to make every effort to make sure we're recovering every one."

    Inman is repeatedly being asked about air traffic control recordings that have been leaked online and choosing not to comment.

    "We will not speculate about ATC tapes that you may have heard or seen online, or snippets you're getting," he says.

    "We need to be able to make an accurate assessment and make sure what we're saying is factual."

  7. Both black boxes found in good conditionpublished at 22:51 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 22:51 31 January

    Inman appears before the press wearing a NTSB jacket

    Inman says that the black box recovered last night was in "good condition".

    He says that the NTSB is confident "we will be able to get a full download in the very near future".

    There is some "water intrusion" found in the box, he says, but adds that is completely normal for an investigation like this.

    He goes on to explain the laborious process of accessing the flight data, adding that this will not be immediately released to the public.

    The black box from the helicopter has also been found, "with no exterior damage to indicate that it was compromised,” he adds.

  8. Air Traffic Control group interviews with witnesses are continuingpublished at 22:48 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 22:48 31 January

    Todd Inman continues saying the Air Traffic Control group has been conducting interviews with witnesses today and will continue tomorrow.

    "We will then take that information and match it with other data that we're seeing," he says, adding that additional interviews will be conducted if necessary.

  9. 'Main lifting' in investigation will begin tomorrow - Inmanpublished at 22:46 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 22:46 31 January

    Inman appears before the press

    Inman goes on to say that the NTSB has a Blackhawk certified staff member based in Alaska who they have flown in to assist with the investigation.

    He adds that salvage operations are being carried out by the US Navy, and that they're on their way from Virginia beach and will arrive tomorrow morning.

    Then major operations will begin, ramping up what is already going on.

    "This will be the main lifting," he says about tomorrow.

  10. News conference was delayed due to meetings with familiespublished at 22:40 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 22:40 31 January

    Todd Inman, one of the investigators from the NTSB, begins by saying that this news conference was delayed because he had been spending "several hours" with the families of the victims today.

    "We want to do everything we can so they can get the most accurate information," he says.

    The initial start time was scheduled for 16:00 EST (21:00 GMT).

  11. Investigators to give update on crash investigationpublished at 22:33 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 22:33 31 January

    We're just about to hear from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is investigating Wednesday's deadly mid-air collision.

    Stay with us as we bring you the key lines.

  12. Watch: Father of helicopter pilot 'knew it was him'published at 22:25 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 22:25 31 January

    The father of Ryan O'Hara, 29, the crew chief aboard the Black Hawk helicopter that crashed into the American Airlines flight from Wichita, has spoken out about the moment that he realised that his son was among the dead.

    "I had been texting him earlier that day, Gary O'Hara, told CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

    "How is this even happening? How can this be real?" he said.

    Media caption,

    Father of US Army Blackhawk pilot 'knew it was him' in crash

  13. A 'quieter' Friday than usual at Ronald Reagan Airportpublished at 22:16 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 22:16 31 January

    Ottilie Mitchell
    Reporting from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport

    A view of outisde Reagan airport, there are many luggage trolleys visible

    Inside Ronald Reagan Airport, things are moving at a slower pace than usual.

    “It’s a quieter Friday than we were expecting,” one member of airport staff tells me.

    A state policeman stares out at the recovery effort, which is visible through the floor to ceiling windows of Terminal 1. White boats with flashing red lights are crawling back and forth across the Potomac River as planes take off over the operation.

    Quietly, passengers continue to check in for their journeys, charge their phones and board their flights.

  14. Airspace restricted around Reagan airport as weather slows recovery operationpublished at 22:04 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 22:04 31 January

    A large rescue boat in the river with a large yellow crane on the front of it. Two smaller boats are also in the water. Several houses are in the background.Image source, Getty Images

    As we wait for the latest update from crash investigators, here are the latest lines you may have missed:

    • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has restricted helicopter traffic around the Reagan airport, amid concerns from officials about overcrowding in the airspace overhead
    • Officials say the bodies of 41 of the victims have been found, with 28 people having been "positively identified" so far
    • The rest of the bodies will not be found until officials are able to hoist the plane off the riverbed, Washington DC Fire Chief John Donnelly told reporters at a news conference earlier today
    • Rainy weather in Washington DC is slowing recovery, but officials say that they can continue to work in these conditions
    • The BBC spoke to an investigator from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), who declined to comment on Trump's argument that the helicopter was "flying too high" at the time of the crash
    • Todd Inman of the NTSB said that the investigation will be guided by the data, and vowed to "analyse every fact"
    • Over 300 people are searching the wreckage, with more assistance - including Coast Guard ships and salvage equipment - expected to arrive on Saturday
  15. BBC Verify

    Fact-checking Trump's claims about diversity schemes and the Washington plane crashpublished at 21:42 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 21:42 31 January

    US President Donald Trump in the oval office.Image source, Reuters

    By Jake Horton & Lucy Gilder

    President Donald Trump has caused controversy after suggesting that diversity programmes supported by his predecessors played a role in Wednesday's mid-air collision between a passenger jet and helicopter in Washington DC.

    In a news conference on Thursday, Trump said that under Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden candidates with "severe intellectual and psychiatric disabilities" could be hired as air traffic controllers (ATCs). He suggested, without offering any evidence, that this could be to blame for the crash.

    When challenged by reporters about why he thought this, he responded: "Because I have common sense."

    The investigation into the cause of the crash - which officials say killed 67 people - is continuing. The president has also blamed the helicopter's flight path for the collision.

    Some aviation experts said that while there had been diversity recruitment schemes within the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), ATC candidates still had to pass rigorous medical and psychological tests.

  16. US agency investigating crash to hold briefing laterpublished at 21:25 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 21:25 31 January

    The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is investigating the collision between the American Airlines jet and the military helicopter, is set to hold a press conference at 17:30 EST (22:30 GMT)., external

    Stay with as we will be covering the briefing live here on the page.

  17. FAA restricts helicopter traffic around Ronald Reagan Airportpublished at 21:02 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 21:02 31 January

    The US secretary for transportation has confirmed earlier reports that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is restricting helicopter traffic around Ronald Reagan Airport, which is close to where Wednesday's collision happened.

    "Today’s decision will immediately help secure the airspace near Reagan Airport, ensuring the safety of airplane and helicopter traffic," Secretary Sean Duffy says in a post on X.

    "This is part of the [US Department of Transport's] ongoing commitment to safeguarding our nation’s skies and upholding the highest standards of air travel safety."

    He adds that the restricted area includes Memorial Bridge to South Capitol Street Bridge, excluding the Tidal Basin, Haines Point to Wilson Bridge, and over the top of DCA.

  18. Third crew member of helicopter not to be named yet - US Armypublished at 20:56 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 20:56 31 January

    The name of the third soldier in the military helicopter that collided with the American Airlines passenger plane is not being named currently, the US Army says.

    "At the request of the family, the name of the third Soldier will not be released at this time," it says in a statement.

    Three people were onboard the helicopter, two of which were named earlier today as Ryan O'Hara and Andrew Eaves.

  19. 'Something needs to change - we owe it to the families'published at 20:34 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 20:34 31 January

    Nada Tawfik
    Reporting from Washington DC

    I have just spoken to Todd Inman from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is currently investigating the aircraft collision.

    I asked Inman about Donald Trump's post on Truth Social, external that the helicopter was "flying too high". Inman says the NTSB will "analyse every fact".

    He says the information "typically being discussed comes from, say 'off-the-shelf' software, what people may have seen on the internet," adding that they are "not the facts that the NTSB will use".

    "We will use the data that drives us to a reasonable cause for this event," he adds.

    Inman explains that aviation safety is built on a "complex series of systems" called the "Swiss Cheese Effect", in which there are "multiple different layers where [if] one thing fails, the next should pick up".

    "Any time there is an accident, something needs to change so it doesn’t occur again – we owe it to the families," he says.

    Media caption,

    Final report could take a year or more - NTSB tells the BBC

  20. Here’s what we’ve learnt from the latest news conferencepublished at 20:15 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January
    published at 20:15 31 January

    Media caption,

    Officials say they've "positively identified" 28 plane crash victims

    Almost 48 hours after the deadly collision on Wednesday, we have heard a few more details from DC emergency services and airport management.

    • After teams worked throughout Thursday night to recover victims of the crash, 41 victims have been recovered and 28 of those "positively identified"
    • More diving teams are expected to arrive tomorrow, when more bodies are expected to be recovered
    • But the aircraft's fuselage needs to be removed before this can happen, DC fire chief John Donnelly says
    • The vice-president of Reagan Airport says US airspace is the "safest in the world" after being questioned about concerns over air traffic congestion
    • The weather in DC is slowing recovery efforts slightly but remains workable
    • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is running at a "reduced capacity" with only one out of its three runways currently open