The crew onboard American flight 5342 may have attempted to maneuver the aircraft away from the helicopter moments before Wednesday’s crash, National Transportation Safety Board investigators stated. The PSA Airlines CRJ-700 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.
While the data remains preliminary, the NTSB said the aircraft was “beginning to increase its pitch.” This followed a “verbal reaction” from the crew.
Approximately one second later, sounds consistent with an impact were heard, following the end of the recording. This data was found on the aircraft’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, which were recovered on Thursday.
“A CVR group consisting of party representatives from the NTSB, PSA, ALPA, and the FAA have been convened,” said Brice Banning, the investigator in charge for the NTSB, during a press conference on Saturday. “The group is currently working to transcribe the entirety of the CVR recording verbatim.”
The CRJ crew had briefed the approach for Runway 1 at Reagan National Airport before a controller asked them to switch to Runway 33. After some discussion, Banning said, the crew accepted the change.
A traffic alert was also audible in the flight deck as the helicopter drew closer, he added.
67 people died as a result of the collision, including 64 on the jet. 55 victims have been identified as of Sunday, and crews are now preparing to lift the CRJ from the river early this week.
