What to know about the American Airlines jet and Army helicopter that collided over D.C.

The Army helicopter and regional American Airlines jet that collided over Washington are both workhorse aircraft that operate around the world on a daily basis.

There were 60 passengers and four crew members on the jet, a Bombardier CRJ700, officials said. Three service members were on a training flight on the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. None are believed to have survived the Wednesday night collision, which caused both aircraft to plunge into the frigid Potomac River.

What to know about the aircraft:

Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk

There are about 5,000 Black Hawks in use around the world, according to the aviation site FlightGlobal.com. The twin-engine, four-blade helicopter is manufactured by Sikorsky, a subsidiary of defense contractor Lockheed Martin.

The aircraft involved in Wednesday’s collision was an Army version. There are other variants made for the Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard, and for specialized duty such as intelligence gathering.

The Black Hawk made its debut in 1979. The helicopters have been involved in numerous U.S. military operations, including the raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden in May 2011, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the invasions of Panama and Grenada.

It is perhaps best known as the namesake aircraft in the 2001 war film “Black Hawk Down,” about a U.S. helicopter shot down in Mogadishu, Somalia, during the civil war there. Others have crashed over the years on training missions.

Bombardier CRJ700

The passenger jet was manufactured by Quebec, Canada-based conglomerate Bombardier Inc. The CRJ program was sold in June 2020 to the Japanese company Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which no longer makes them but continues to produce parts.

The twin-engine aircraft comes in several versions capable of seating between 68 and 78 passengers. It is a commonly used regional aircraft used for medium and shorter flights, with more than 900 produced since it was introduced in May 1999.

Bombardier said in 2015 that the CRJ700 series accounted for 20% of all departure flights in North America, with about 200,000 flights per month.

The plane in Wednesday’s crash was registered as N530EA and manufactured in 2010, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The jet was operated by an American Airlines subsidiary, PSA Airlines.

—Curt Anderson, Associated Press

https://www.fastcompany.com/91270103/black-hawk-army-helicopter-american-airlines-jet-dc-plane-crash-explainer?partner=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=rss+fastcompany&utm_content=rss

Létrehozva 5mo | 2025. jan. 30. 22:10:09


Jelentkezéshez jelentkezzen be

EGYÉB POSTS Ebben a csoportban

Linda Yaccarino was supposed to tame X. Elon Musk wouldn’t let her

Some news stories are gobsmackingly obvious in their importance. Others are complete nonstories. So what to make of the

2025. júl. 9. 19:10:07 | Fast company - tech
Apple’s next CEO: A new look at Tim Cook’s potential successors after latest exec shakeup

Yesterday, Apple unexpectedly announced the most radical shakeup to its C-suite in years. The company revealed that Jeff Williams, its current chief operating officer (COO), will be departing the

2025. júl. 9. 16:40:09 | Fast company - tech
PBS chief Paula Kerger warns public broadcasting could collapse in small communities if Congress strips federal funding

As Congress moves to make massive cuts to public broadcasting this week, Paula Kerger, president and CEO of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), gives an unflinching look at the organization’s f

2025. júl. 9. 14:30:04 | Fast company - tech
These personality types are most likely to cheat using AI

As recent graduates proudly showcase their use of ChatGPT for final projects, some may wonder: What kind of person turns to

2025. júl. 9. 14:30:04 | Fast company - tech