The airliner that collided early Thursday morning with a military helicopter in Washington DC belongs to the same family of aircraft that Air Nostrum, Iberia’s franchisee for regional flights, uses on its routes between Ibiza and the Balearic Islands. It is a Bombardier CRJ-700, a derivative of the CRJ200 and CRJ1000, both in operation within the Spanish airline’s fleet.
The incident, which occurred early Thursday morning, left at least 67 people dead and caused the temporary suspension of air traffic at Ronald Reagan National Airport. The aircraft, coming from Wichita (Kansas, USA), collided with a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk military helicopter over the Potomac River while on final approach to the airport’s runway 33.
A common model in regional airlines
The Bombardier CRJ-700, the model of the stricken aircraft, belongs to the CRJ (Canadair Regional Jet) family of aircraft, manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace and widely used on regional flights in Europe and America. In Spain, Air Nostrum, Iberia Regional‘s franchisee, uses versions of this aircraft on its short and medium-haul routes, including connections from Ibiza to Valencia, to Mallorca and to Menorca, when there is a direct connection. The Spanish airline operates the CRJ200 and CRJ1000, which share similar characteristics to the CRJ-700 in terms of design and performance. The CRJ200 seats 50 passengers, while the CRJ1000, the largest of the family, can accommodate up to 100 passengers.
These aircraft are common at island airports because of their efficiency on short takeoffs and low fuel consumption for journeys of less than 2,000 kilometers. The CRJ200, introduced in the 1990s, had an initial capacity of 50 passengers, but growing demand for regional flights prompted Bombardier to develop expanded versions. Thus the CRJ700 was born, with an upgraded capacity of up to 78 passengers and a fuselage 5.74 meters longer than its predecessor. This evolution continued with the CRJ900 and CRJ1000, the latter with a 100-passenger capacity, becoming one of the most popular choices for regional airlines such as Air Nostrum. In the Balearic Islands, the Valencian airline combines the use of this type of jet with the ATR-72 turboprops, also used by Uep Fly, the other company operating between islands. This is a very common model for short-range flights.
The crashed military helicopter: Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk
The helicopter involved in the accident was a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, one of the most widely used aircraft by the U. S. Army for troop transport, rescue missions and tactical operations. This helicopter, in service since 1979, has a robust design that allows it to operate in a variety of weather conditions and combat scenarios. It has the capacity to carry up to 12 fully equipped soldiers, plus a crew of four. However, at the time of the accident, only three military personnel were on board. The UH-60 Black Hawk is a medium-sized twin-engine helicopter, with a four-bladed main rotor, and can reach a maximum speed of 280 km/h (175 mph). Its flight range without refueling is approximately 590 kilometers, making it a versatile aircraft for operations in difficult access areas.
Details of the accident in Washington DC
The crashed plane, identified as American Eagle Flight 5342, a regional airline subsidiary of American Airlines, was carrying 64 people at the time of the collision. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane collided with the military helicopter while descending into the airport. The impact split the aircraft into two sections, while the helicopter fell into the Potomac River upside down. Emergency crews have been working throughout the early morning hours to search for and recover bodies.
Ongoing investigation and accident history
The causes of the accident have not yet been determined, but the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a thorough investigation and has managed to recover the black boxes of the Bombardier CRJ-700. The accident is the
most serious U.S. airline deal involving American Airlines in 24 years . El último suceso de tal magnitud ocurrió en 2001, cuando el vuelo AA 587, un Airbus A300, se estrelló en el vecindario de Queens, Nueva York, minutos después de despegar del aeropuerto John F. Kennedy, dejando 265 fallecidos. La comunidad aeronáutica sigue atenta a los avances de la investigación para determinar si este trágico suceso pudo haberse evitado.
