Surveillance cameras filmed the moment an airline collided with an army helicopter above DC, causing the worst American air disaster in 23 years.
Sixty passengers, four crew members and three American army personnel are dead after the 400 ft collision over the Potomac River sent both aircraft in the water.
The plane of the American Airlines hit a Black Hawk helicopter of the US Army when it came on the land on Reagan National Airport on Wednesday on Wednesday.
Passengers on board Vlucht 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, include members of the American figure skating team who returned from the American figure skating championships.
The CCTV images from two corners showed that the Bombardier CRJ700 airline was slowly approaching the runway, The lights shine clearly against the night sky.
Suddenly the helicopter entered the frame and drove much faster from the left, directly on the way to the passenger plane.
Neither of the aircraft seemed to change course or have a time to try to try before a huge, violent explosion illuminated heaven.
What remained from the helicopter seemed to go straight and crash straight into the water, while the plane splintered into pieces.
The CCTV images from two corners showed the Bombardier CRJ700 airline that slowly approached the runway before the helicopter is quickly approaching from the left
None of the aircraft seemed to change course or have a time to try evasive action before a huge, violent explosion illuminated heaven
The largest part of the plane turned over the end over the end, did almost a complete rotation before the water hits and disappears.
Smaller pieces of the wreck slowly rained down, such as the rubble of a fireworks display.
The surveillance images were played again and filmed on a telephone and then obtained later by CNN.
The explosion was also visible on dashcam images of highways that swing along the airport and on either side of the river.
Much of the wreck is still on the bottom of the Potomac with more than a dozen bodies – including four trapped in what is left on the plane.
Jake Zwieg, an aviation expert who served with the navy, described what the passengers and the crew probably experienced in the crash.
The second corner of the CCTV images at the time of the collision and explosion
The biggest part of the plane turned over the end of the end, did almost a complete rotation before the water hits and disappears
Much of the wreck is still on the bottom of the Potomac with more than a dozen bodies – including four trapped in what is left of the plane
“It was a nice kinetic crash – we all saw the big explosion and of course the rotor blades of the helicopter went through the bottom of the plane, he said at Fox News.
'Aircraft turned and crashed into the water. I imagine that you had at most eight seconds of just absolute frightening fear.
“I clearly mean that we can't talk to one of the victims, but I mean, probably the most horrible thing you could live on.”
Zwieg also shared his first reaction to the fatal collision and related it to his own military experiences.
'As a man who is driven in helicopters, I'm going to tell you now – I was downstairs at Seal Team 8 and we had five helicoptercrashes down there. Helicopter is not your friend if he falls out of the sky, “he said.
At least 40 bodies have been found from a collision by Washington DC Aircraft who has wiped out the entire family units, including a Tiktok -Skater, a famous athlete couple and all four crew members of the airline.
A black piece of the helicopter wreck after being raised by recovery efforts
Surveillance images from the inside also conquered the airport when the two bumped into the air
Figure Skaters Spencer Lane, 16, Brielle Beyer, 12, and Jinna Han, 13, are more than a dozen children who died on the plane.
Famous Russian skating savings Evgenia Shishkova, 53, and Vadim Naumov, 56, in addition to the mothers of Lane, Beyer and Han also lost their lives.
The bodies of all four members of the cockpit crew – including someone who was only a few months away from a promotion and wedding – were also recovered from the rubble.
Bodies of two of the three soldiers who flew into the helicopter have also been found.
Three non -geidified Fairfax County – students and six parents – two who were employees – also died, the school district confirmed.
Chief Warrant Officer 2, Andrew Eaves is identified as the pilot on board the Black Hawk Army Helicopter.
The beloved husband and father of two were one of the three soldiers on board the plane who carried out a training operation.
Sixty passengers, four crew members and three American army personnel are dead after the 400 ft collision over the Potomac River sent both aircraft in the water
The crew leader was mentioned as father-of-one Ryan O'hara.
The female co-pilot still has to be mentioned.
The destroyed wife of Eaves, Carrie, said: 'I'm sure you've all heard the news about the tragedy that occurred in DC.
“My husband was one of the pilots in the Blackhawk. We ask you to pray for our family and friends and for all other families who suffer today. We ask for peace while we mourn. '
She has shared several photos of roof edges, of which he was one in uniform, and asked her friends to share photos they have in his memory.
