Emily Steel

So at 618 on Wednesday night, there's an American Airlines flight that takes off from Wichita, Kansas. It's going to Washington's Reagan National Airport, and there are 64 people on board. There are American and Russian figure skaters. They are flying back from a competition. There's parents. There's coaches. There are a couple of friends who had just been coming back from a hunting trip.

So at 618 on Wednesday night, there's an American Airlines flight that takes off from Wichita, Kansas. It's going to Washington's Reagan National Airport, and there are 64 people on board. There are American and Russian figure skaters. They are flying back from a competition. There's parents. There's coaches. There are a couple of friends who had just been coming back from a hunting trip.

This flight is scheduled to land at 9 o'clock in Washington, D.C., where it's a clear night. And about that same time, there's a Black Hawk helicopter. It's an Army helicopter. And there are two officers on board. There's a sergeant on board as well. And they are conducting flight training in the area.

This flight is scheduled to land at 9 o'clock in Washington, D.C., where it's a clear night. And about that same time, there's a Black Hawk helicopter. It's an Army helicopter. And there are two officers on board. There's a sergeant on board as well. And they are conducting flight training in the area.

So the jet from Wichita is on track to land on runway one at Reagan's National Airport. And the air traffic controller asks the pilot on board if they can land on a different runway, on runway 33. Okay. instead. So inside the cockpit on the American Airlines jet, the pilots are re-navigating their landing.

So the jet from Wichita is on track to land on runway one at Reagan's National Airport. And the air traffic controller asks the pilot on board if they can land on a different runway, on runway 33. Okay. instead. So inside the cockpit on the American Airlines jet, the pilots are re-navigating their landing.

You can imagine the people on the airplane are making sure that their seat belts are fastened. They might be able to look out and see the lights of the city. They're very, very close to their landing. And it's about that time that there's an alert that blares in the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport.

You can imagine the people on the airplane are making sure that their seat belts are fastened. They might be able to look out and see the lights of the city. They're very, very close to their landing. And it's about that time that there's an alert that blares in the air traffic control tower at Ronald Reagan National Airport.

The Army helicopter and the American Airlines jet are on a collision course. The controller asks the helicopter pilots, do you have this other jet in sight? And initially, there's no response. And then the controller again directs the helicopter to fly behind the jet and then says, do you see this other airplane? And the helicopter pilot confirms, yes, they can see another airplane.

The Army helicopter and the American Airlines jet are on a collision course. The controller asks the helicopter pilots, do you have this other jet in sight? And initially, there's no response. And then the controller again directs the helicopter to fly behind the jet and then says, do you see this other airplane? And the helicopter pilot confirms, yes, they can see another airplane.

And then moments later, there's a crash.

And then moments later, there's a crash.

Right. It's absolutely terrifying. There's a huge explosion over the Potomac River, which is right next to the airport. And that jet carrying 64 people falls into this icy cold river. Right away, there's a huge response with the police, the fire department, the airport authorities. And by the next morning, the Washington, D.C.

Right. It's absolutely terrifying. There's a huge explosion over the Potomac River, which is right next to the airport. And that jet carrying 64 people falls into this icy cold river. Right away, there's a huge response with the police, the fire department, the airport authorities. And by the next morning, the Washington, D.C.

fire chief has confirmed everybody's worst fears and suspicions that everyone on the plane and the helicopter died. That's 67 people. This is the worst aviation crash in American history in decades.

fire chief has confirmed everybody's worst fears and suspicions that everyone on the plane and the helicopter died. That's 67 people. This is the worst aviation crash in American history in decades.

There is a lot that we don't know about the specific factors that led to this crash. What we know is that there will be crash investigators that will spend several months looking at flight data, listening to the recordings from inside the cockpit, looking at the weather patterns and interviewing the controllers and others just to figure out what exactly went wrong.

There is a lot that we don't know about the specific factors that led to this crash. What we know is that there will be crash investigators that will spend several months looking at flight data, listening to the recordings from inside the cockpit, looking at the weather patterns and interviewing the controllers and others just to figure out what exactly went wrong.

But one of the first things that we know is that went drastically wrong is that the pilots of both aircrafts did not recognize that they were about to smash into each other. The pilots that were involved in the crash were both described as experienced pilots.

But one of the first things that we know is that went drastically wrong is that the pilots of both aircrafts did not recognize that they were about to smash into each other. The pilots that were involved in the crash were both described as experienced pilots.