Following the tragic collision between an American Airlines passenger plane and a military helicopter in Washington, former U.S. President Donald Trump expressed doubts about why the disaster could have been avoided.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, he questioned the actions of the pilots and air traffic controllers:
Why didn’t the helicopter climb higher, descend, or change course? Why didn’t the controllers give clear instructions and simply asked if they could see the plane?
The collision occurred while 19 planes were in the sky, and another aircraft was nearby, preparing to land. It is possible that the helicopter pilots mistakenly identified another aircraft as a threat. Audio recordings of conversations with the control tower revealed disturbing moments — seconds before the crash, the helicopter pilots confirmed they saw the plane but did not take further action.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the cause of the crash. Investigators are expected to address why the helicopter crew did not change course and why air traffic controllers did not issue clear commands.
The crash occurred just four kilometers from the White House, with 67 people aboard the plane and the helicopter. Rescue teams have not yet reported any survivors.
