Joel Rose

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is leading the effort to remove the wreckage of the plane and helicopter from the river. Colonel Francis Pera is the commander of the Corps of Engineers Baltimore District. Pera says the recovery of the remaining victims takes precedence over everything else.

Federal investigators are still trying to understand why the Black Hawk helicopter collided with a passenger jet that was attempting to land. It was the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in more than two decades. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.

Federal investigators are still trying to understand why the Black Hawk helicopter collided with a passenger jet that was attempting to land. It was the deadliest aviation disaster in the U.S. in more than two decades. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board say they have recovered the black box from the helicopter. In this case, that is a combined voice and data recorder, and now they will try to extract that information from it. And if that works, it should tell them a lot about what was happening in the moments before the collision on Wednesday night.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board say they have recovered the black box from the helicopter. In this case, that is a combined voice and data recorder, and now they will try to extract that information from it. And if that works, it should tell them a lot about what was happening in the moments before the collision on Wednesday night.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board say they have recovered the black box from the helicopter. In this case, that is a combined voice and data recorder, and now they will try to extract that information from it. And if that works, it should tell them a lot about what was happening in the moments before the collision on Wednesday night.

But board members have been emphatic that they will not speculate and will wait until they have all the facts before drawing any conclusions. Here's board member Todd Inman at a briefing yesterday evening.

But board members have been emphatic that they will not speculate and will wait until they have all the facts before drawing any conclusions. Here's board member Todd Inman at a briefing yesterday evening.

But board members have been emphatic that they will not speculate and will wait until they have all the facts before drawing any conclusions. Here's board member Todd Inman at a briefing yesterday evening.

Inman did not mention President Trump by name, but it was hard not to see the sharp contrast after the president claimed this week that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at the Federal Aviation Administration were to blame, while also acknowledging that he had no direct evidence linking DEI to the crash.

Inman did not mention President Trump by name, but it was hard not to see the sharp contrast after the president claimed this week that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at the Federal Aviation Administration were to blame, while also acknowledging that he had no direct evidence linking DEI to the crash.

Inman did not mention President Trump by name, but it was hard not to see the sharp contrast after the president claimed this week that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at the Federal Aviation Administration were to blame, while also acknowledging that he had no direct evidence linking DEI to the crash.

There are a lot of questions focusing on that US Army Black Hawk helicopter and whether it was in the right place. There is growing evidence that it was not, based on NPR's analysis of flight data, along with new video footage that circulated yesterday of the collision, which show the helicopter out of the flight corridor where it was supposed to be operating.

There are a lot of questions focusing on that US Army Black Hawk helicopter and whether it was in the right place. There is growing evidence that it was not, based on NPR's analysis of flight data, along with new video footage that circulated yesterday of the collision, which show the helicopter out of the flight corridor where it was supposed to be operating.

There are a lot of questions focusing on that US Army Black Hawk helicopter and whether it was in the right place. There is growing evidence that it was not, based on NPR's analysis of flight data, along with new video footage that circulated yesterday of the collision, which show the helicopter out of the flight corridor where it was supposed to be operating.

Instead, it was well out over the Potomac River when it collided with the plane. Sources tell NPR it was also flying above the 200-foot ceiling that it was required to maintain.

Instead, it was well out over the Potomac River when it collided with the plane. Sources tell NPR it was also flying above the 200-foot ceiling that it was required to maintain.

Instead, it was well out over the Potomac River when it collided with the plane. Sources tell NPR it was also flying above the 200-foot ceiling that it was required to maintain.

Yes, several outlets have reported on an internal FAA report that says an air traffic controller was doing double duty in two separate positions at the time of the collision because staffing was lower than normal for that time. NPR has not been able to confirm that independently. The head of the air traffic controller's union says it is not uncommon to combine positions like that.

Yes, several outlets have reported on an internal FAA report that says an air traffic controller was doing double duty in two separate positions at the time of the collision because staffing was lower than normal for that time. NPR has not been able to confirm that independently. The head of the air traffic controller's union says it is not uncommon to combine positions like that.