How the Plane and Helicopter Crash in Washington, D.C., Happened: Maps and Graphics

www.nytimes.com How the Plane and Helicopter Crash in Washington, D.C., Happened: Maps and Graphics

An American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army helicopter plunged into the Potomac River after a midair collision Wednesday night near Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C.

Important context:

January 20: FAA director fired
January 21: Air Traffic Controller hiring frozen
January 22: Aviation Safety Advisory Committee disbanded
January 28: Buyout/retirement demand sent to existing employees
January 29: First American mid-air collision in 16 years

Staffing was not normal at air traffic control

13 comments

Trump killed 67 Americans and it’s still January 2025.
- The last time he killed about 450.000 so, today is still below average.
  
  You're assuming that the plane crash is a full count. I'd be really surprised if some of the other things he's done this week (eg: limiting access to reimbursement for health care) haven't killed people.
- This is an overreach that minimizes the people who are actually impacted by Trump's actions.
  This was the heli pilot's error, plain and simple. Tower was following protocol and did not grant clearance because they were short on staff or something ridiculous like that.
  
  Individual human failures are often a symptom of broader and larger systemic problems. Pointing out these systemic problems is not over reach.
  
  They were short on staff because of Trump.
- Yeah but the Democrats hate trans people!!
  
  LOOK, A SQUIRREL!

Even though this was the FIRST Mid Air Collision since 2008 and it happened AFTER gutting Federal Aviation Workers it's OBVIOUSLY BIDEN AND OBAMAS FAULT!

I heard Trump blamed this on DEI 🙄

I can summarize it:
Plane going in one direction Helicopter going in a different direction
Plane and Helicopter cross paths.

13 comments