Mayor Bowser (00:43):
Good morning. I'm Muriel Bowser, I'm the mayor of Washington D.C. We are here at Reagan National Airport to provide an update on the tragic events of last night. I'm joined by US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly, American Airlines CEO Robert Eisen, the MWAA, Metropolitan Washington Airport Authority CEO, Jack Carter, United States Senator Mark Warner, United States Senator Tim Kaine, US Representative Don Beyer, as well as the Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department, Pamela Smith. And we are joined by first responders from across the metropolitan Washington region.
(01:35)
I speak for all of us when I say, and certainly all Washingtonians, how very sad we are for American Airlines, for the United States Department of Defense and for all Americans, for the loss of life that happened with the collision of these aircrafts. We know that includes families from across our region as well as in Kansas and across the country. This morning we all share in a profound sense of grief.
(02:09)
I do want to thank the first responders who acted quickly last night, who ran towards danger, went into a very frigid river, and have worked throughout the night. Chief Donnelly reported in last night's briefing that we have a strong mutual aid agreement in our region, and those teams have worked together throughout the night in really tough and heartbreaking conditions. And we should all thank them for their heroic efforts.
(02:39)
So we'll have several updates today. I am first going to turn to the Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy. And then you will hear directly from Chief John Donnelly with a situational update.
Sean Duffy (02:57):
Thank you, Mayor. Again, Sean Duffy here, Secretary of Transportation. We wish we were gathering for different purposes today.
(03:06)
I just want to let you know that the Department of Transportation, the FAA, along with the White House, President Trump, local, state, and federal partners all working together on this incident in unison. I couldn't be prouder of this team that's been assembled, working tirelessly. Mayor, I want to thank you specifically for your work.
(03:27)
A few details I'd like to give all of you, and some of you reported this, but last night, if you live in the D.C. area, you would know that this was a clear night last night. The helicopter was in a standard pattern. If you live in the D.C. area, you'll see helicopters up and down the river. This flight pattern is seen oftentimes when you live in D.C. This was a standard flight pattern last night as well. The American Airline flight coming in to land was in a standard flight pattern as it was coming into D.C.A. So, this was not unusual with a military aircraft flying in the river and aircraft landing at D.C.A. And again, if you live in the area, you'll see that frequently with those two aircraft working together.
(04:23)
As many of you have reported, we have located the two aircrafts. The fuselage of the American Airline plane was inverted. It's been located in three different sections. It's in about waist-deep water, so that recovery is going to go on today. As that recovery takes place of the fuselage of the aircraft, NTSB is going to start to analyze that aircraft partner with the FAA, with all the information we have to get the best results possible for the American people.
(05:00)
I would just say that safety is our expectation. Everyone who flies in American skies expects that we fly safely, that when you depart an airport, you get to your destination. That didn't happen last night. And I know that President Trump, his administration, the FAA, the DOT, we will not rest until we have answers for the families and for the flying public. You should be assured that when you fly, you're safe. Thank you.
(05:32)
Ah, Mayor, is that yours?
John Donnelly (05:41):
Thank you, Secretary. Thank you, Mayor. I'm joined today by with Fire Chief Bonnet from the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, and I'm John Donnelly, Chief of the District of Columbia Fire and EMS Department.
(05:53)
Last night at 8:48, the control tower sounded an alert, which alerts responders to respond to a report of an aircraft crash on or near the airport. That sets off a immediate response from the Airport Authority Fire Department, from the District of Columbia and Metropolitan Harbor Patrol fire boats and other fire boats on the river, in order to support that type of operation. Very quickly this call escalated. The responders realized that they had a plane crash and immediately escalated to a response that ultimately included about 300 people last night.
(06:35)
These responders found extremely frigid conditions. They found heavy wind, they found ice on the water, and they operated all night in those conditions. I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge the agencies that responded in addition to D.C. Fire and EMS in the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. Montgomery County Fire Department, the Prince George's County Fire Department, the Charles County Fire Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, the Alexandria Fire Department, the Arlington County Fire Department, the Fairfax Fire Department, the Prince William Fire Department, the Baltimore City Police Department, the Maryland State Police, the Maryland Natural Resources Police, the Department of Defense, the Joint Base Boling Fire Department and the staff there, the US Army, the US Coast Guard, the United States Park Police, the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI, and the NTSB.
(07:36)
Despite all those efforts, we are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident. And we have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter. The district office of the medical examiner has lead on reuniting these
John Donnelly (08:00):
… these bodies and these people with their loved ones. And we will continue to work to find all the bodies and collect them and reunite them with their loved ones. We should also acknowledge that the Virginia Medical Examiner and the Army Medical Examiner are involved in this operation and a very important part of getting people identified. So next.
Mayor Bowser (08:30):
Our hearts are certainly with all of the crew and American Airlines, and we'll hear from CEO Isom.
Robert Isom (08:41):
Thank you, Mayor. Good morning. I'm Robert Isom, the CEO of American Airlines. I want to express my sincere condolences for the accident that happened at DCA last night. We're absolutely heartbroken for the family and loved ones of the passengers and crew members, and also for those that were on the military aircraft. Our focus right now is doing everything that we can to support all of those involved and also the PSA Airlines team. This is devastating. We are all hurting incredibly. We urge any family and friends looking for information about their loved ones to call our designated helpline, and that's at 1-800-679-8215. 1-800-679-8215. And here's what I can share at this early stage. American Eagle Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, traveling from Wichita, Kansas to Reagan National Airport, was involved in an accident just before 9:00 P.M. local time on final approach into Reagan National.
(09:59)
It collided with a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach. And at this time, we don't know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft. Flight 5342, a CRJ 700 was under the command of four crew members. They carried 60 passengers, as you know for a total of 64 people on board. In addition to local resources already here in DC, American Airlines has activated our care team, and that's a group of specialists that are trained to support these types of responses. These team members are on-site or arriving soon.
(10:39)
And additionally, we have members of our go-team that are on ground here in DC and they're being deployed with resources to do everything that we can to take care of the needs of the families and the loved ones of the passengers and crew members. And that is our sole focus. And we're so grateful for the first responders. They've been working through the night, courageous efforts. And we're actively working with local, state, and federal authorities on emergency response efforts and closely coordinating with PSA Airlines as they cooperate fully with the NTSB on the investigation. I know that there are many questions, and at this early stage I just won't be able to answer many, but we'll provide additional information as it comes. Thank you.
Mayor Bowser (11:35):
I want to introduce the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority CEO, Jack Potter. The authority manages Reagan, Washington National, and Dallas International.
Jack Potter (11:49):
Good morning and thank you Mayor. First, let me begin by expressing our condolences for all the victims of this flight and for their families. There's a lot of grieving going on, and so we're very sympathetic to that. I want to echo what was said about the first responders. When there's a problem in this area, everybody drops everything and they rush to where the problem is. So I want to thank the chief, the entire team from Washington DC, but just as important, the list of folks that the chief described, federal authorities have been here en masse, and so a lot of effort was brought to bear. Unfortunately, we weren't able to rescue anyone, but we are in the recovery mode right now, and last night I expressed the fact that we hope to open at 11 o'clock today, and that is still the case. We're going to open the airport at 11 o'clock. And again, condolences to the families, and thanks to the many, many who are still out there working very, very hard to complete this recovery. Thank you, Mayor.
Mayor Bowser (13:03):
I do want to acknowledge that the Virginia Transportation Secretary is here, in addition to the Alexandria Mayor, and I will like to ask members of the Virginia Congressional delegation to the podium. Next, US Senator Mark Warner, followed by Tim Kaine and representative Don Beyer.
Mark Warner (13:29):
Thank you, Mayor. I want to join with everyone else and express my condolences for the victims. For folks who don't live in the DMV, we are made up of a lot of jurisdictions. Reagan Airports in Virginia, across the river we have Maryland, obviously the District, but as has been indicated by the chief, when tragedy happens, all those distinctions between the various jurisdictions and our federal partners all disappear. And I want to, again, thank all the first responders.
(14:06)
On a personal note, I'll just add that literally, I now know, I was coming back from the District from a dinner to my home in Old Town Alexandria, and while I did not see the collision, I wondered, I'd never seen this many red lights streaming towards the airport and across the river in Maryland. About this time my phone started blowing up and I realized that this accident had taken place. There'll be a time to figure out, I know NTSB will have a briefing later in the day, but to the victims, our condolences, to the first responders, our thanks.
Tim Kaine (14:52):
Sorrow, thanks and questions. So sorrow as all have expressed to the crew, to the passengers, to the soldiers. To their families, to their friends, to their loved ones, to people who are still trying to get information and unsure whether their loved ones have been lost. We offer our profound condolences to them and our sorrow for this tragedy. Thanks. I'll echo Mayor, what you began with. When you see a challenge like this and you see people from so many different agencies, local, state, federal, with different uniforms, different badges, but working in such a coordinated way, even in the midst of a tragedy, it does give you a sense of appreciation and pride in people's willingness to come to the danger and work together. And I started to see that as a local official 30 years ago in Richmond and definitely have seen it here.
(15:45)
And then finally, questions. There are going to be a lot of questions, obviously, a lot of questions, and that's what the NTSB's job is, is to be an independent investigator of incidents like this. And they are here, we were in dialogue with them earlier today.
Tim Kaine (16:00):
They've been here since they got the alert, and they will be doing the work and playing lead in answering the many questions that we have, and that's as it should be. It's not a time to speculate, it's a time to investigate and get the answers to the questions we need, and I have confidence that will be done. Thank you.
Senator Kaine (16:19):
Following up on the senator, I think grief, thanks and service. With millions and millions of Americans traveling every year, we are all grieving, knowing that it could have been our loved ones, it could have been us, and our hearts go out to all those who have lost folks.
(16:36)
In a most partisan place also, I'm really thankful that Democrats and Republicans, people from all over, have come together to try to make sure that people are served. As the local representative, I want the families to know that our office is available to serve you in any way we possibly can through this time of grief and transition and loss.
(16:59)
And then also, just note that we're deeply grateful for the people who risked their lives last night on a moment's notice and spent the whole night on the river, in the ice and the wind, serving us. And then, finally, as Senator Kaine, Senator Horner noted, after the NTSB investigation, we've got to make sure that, at the federal level, and with the support of Virginia and Maryland, D.C., we're doing everything we can to make sure this does not happen again.
Mayor Bowser (17:37):
So with that, it's been said already that the National Transportation Safety Board becomes the lead agency in the investigation. Our jurisdiction in D.C., where the crash occurred over the river, concludes, as we in the leadership role of the unified command, as we shift to a recovery effort, we expect the National Transportation Safety Board to provide briefings to the press later in the day.
(18:12)
So at this point, we can take a few questions. Yes?
Speaker 1 (18:16):
Can you say without a shadow of a doubt that people are safe to fly?
Mayor Bowser (18:24):
What we can talk about today is what happened here with the collision of these vehicles. We've said what we know and that the National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate. I don't know that any of us have been briefed on anything that would suggest any other aircraft are implicated.
(18:45)
Yes?
Speaker 2 (18:46):
You're still missing 30-plus people in the water, what are some of the challenges in recovering them right now?
Mayor Bowser (18:50):
Chief.
Chief (18:54):
So the recovery operation goes on, it's a lot of touch and feel in the different parts of the plane or in the helicopter, and the crash area is a little spread out so we've got some work to do. I think it's a pretty normal type of situation, I don't think it's extraordinary.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
How spread out is this debris field?
Chief (19:13):
So the wind started blowing last night, so we've had debris travel from the airport down as far as the Wilson Bridge.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Mile-wise, how far is that?
Chief (19:22):
I couldn't tell you. Less than a mile.
Speaker 3 (19:27):
This is a question for CEO Carter, you're going to open the airport at 11 o'clock this morning, how are you going to do that? And what impact is that going to have on operations, on passengers, on people's anxiety, how are we going to do this?
Mr. Carter (19:43):
Well, we're going to open the airport at 11 o'clock. It's safe, we've worked with all the federal agencies, FAA, and it's been determined that we can open that airport safely. The recovery effort that's on our property is on the waterfront. Our primary runway, 119, will be open. It's away from any activity, we're going to have a secure area around that. So all are comfortable that we can get back to operations. Now, each airline will announce or communicate to their passengers what their operations are going to be. Obviously, their networks were disrupted overnight, and so we might have a slow recovery. But the bottom line is we will begin to have aircraft move in and out of this airport at 11 o'clock.
Mayor Bowser (20:34):
Okay. So one, two, three.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Has the flight recorder been recovered, the black box, at all?
Mayor Bowser (20:42):
I don't think we can say anything about what's in NTSB's purview.
Speaker 5 (20:47):
You mentioned the airport opens three hours from now, there's a lot of helicopter traffic from the military, US Park Police saw that, will helicopters be flying right through here as well beyond the recovery efforts?
Mayor Bowser (20:58):
I don't know the answer to that. Jack, do you have anything to add? We don't have anything to add about that.
(21:03)
Yes?
Speaker 6 (21:03):
Just for a second [inaudible 00:21:03], could you reassure Americans that the US still has the safest airspace in world?
Sean Duffy (21:13):
So the question is, can I guarantee the American public that the United States has the most safe and secure airspace in the world, and the answer to that is absolutely, yes, we do. We have early indicators of what happened here, and I will tell you with complete confidence, we have the safest airspace in the world.
Mayor Bowser (21:32):
Who's next?
Speaker 7 (21:34):
When it comes to [inaudible 00:21:35], what does that look like so far [inaudible 00:21:41] flight manifest, is there anything that you can add on that front?
Mayor Bowser (21:48):
[Inaudible 00:21:48] can you add anything?
Robert Isom (21:52):
All I can say is that we have published the 1-800 number, we have family assistance centers set up here in DCA, we do in Wichita as well. I'm not at liberty to give the number of families that have used those services, but we are making that use. We have over 100 team members, that are either here or on their way, that are specially trained to work with family members, handle travel arrangements, hotel arrangements, incidentals, to make sure that we're taking care of people in any way that they can, as our teams are hurting and suffering, as our passengers and their families need assistance, we're doing everything we can. I don't have any other more information on that right now.
Mayor Bowser (22:43):
Thank you. Next?
Speaker 8 (22:45):
Chief Donnelley, can I ask you to describe the next phase of the investigation? How confident are you that you'll be able to recover all 67 of these bodies? And can you speak to some of the debris that's also being pulled out of the river? We understand there are suitcases and some other things that are being pulled out from the river. And I would like to ask anyone here, perhaps the transportation secretary [inaudible 00:23:11] they know anything about these victims' age ranges, nationalities [inaudible 00:23:16].
Chief (23:16):
So the next phase of this operation is going to be led by the NTSB. All of us are working together though to search the area and find the victims. I'm confident that we will do that. That will take us a little bit of time though, it may involve some more equipment. As far as the things being collected, I don't have personal knowledge. I know that we have been collecting debris that you would expect to see from a plane.
Speaker 8 (23:45):
Okay. Anything about the victims?
Sean Duffy (23:46):
So the question is about the victims, the NTSB is going to lead that portion of the contact with the victims. I believe American is going to be involved with that as well, and so will the FAA and the Department of Transportation.
Speaker 9 (23:59):
Secretary [inaudible 00:24:00]
Mayor Bowser (00:00):
Speaker 10 (24:00):
We're going to take some questions over here. One, two, three, four.
Speaker 11 (24:03):
[inaudible 00:24:08].
Speaker 10 (24:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (24:08):
First, Secretary Duffy, the flight path that the helicopter was on, is that a common flight path and is it normal for helicopters to get clearance to cut across busy flight path?
Sean Duffy (24:18):
So, I don't know if you all could hear the question. It's a question about the flight path of the helicopter. I don't want to go into too much detail about the information we have from the FAA, but obviously it is not standard to have aircraft collide. I want to be clear on that. But prior to the collision, the flight paths that were being flown from the military and from American, that was not unusual for what happens in the DC airspace. And as this investigation moves forward, we will be able to provide more information to you about the details of that statement.
Speaker 11 (25:01):
I wanted to follow up on that question regarding the plane path that you said was standard. So can you speak to the conversation with aircraft control? Were there blind spots here?
Sean Duffy (25:13):
So the question is, were there blind spots with air traffic control? I don't want to make statements about that. I don't lead into that answer. But again, I think whether it was air traffic control, whether it was military aircraft, helicopters or the American flight, everything was standard in the lead up to the crash. Now obviously there was something happened here. You'll get more information and more details as this investigation moves forward, we'll learn what happened. But again, those who live in the DC area, we see military helicopters fly up and down the river. It's a standard path that they fly. They're used to aircraft landing at DCA and there's a procedure in place because this happens every day. Something went wrong here. I look forward to the time and point when we can give you that information, but I don't want to comment on that right now. Senator Warner,
Speaker 15 (26:13):
You all have been very vocal about your concerns about busy runways here, air traffic. I know it's still early in the investigation. I'm just curious, any steps that you all plan to take to address that?
Speaker 12 (26:26):
We have raised this issue continuously. We've got very busy airspace. I think we will ask questions, but at the appropriate time. What we are in this period right now where families are still being notified, we're trying to figure out what happened. There'll be time for those discussion, I think.
Tim Kaine (26:42):
Yeah, ll just say the same thing. We've been pretty plain about our concerns, but it isn't a good time to speculate right now. We have faith that the NTSB will provide the answers about this.
Speaker 10 (26:52):
Okay. You are fourth here and I'm going to take three in the middle and then we're going to have to wrap, One, two, three after this young man.
Speaker 13 (26:58):
Thank you. Appreciate it. Chief, I know, again, I can imagine it must be traumatic for your first responders that [inaudible 00:27:05] this. How are they doing right now and are you all going to be offering any services to help them as they process this?
Chief (27:11):
So thank you for the question. Our first responders are resilient people, but yes, this call will be hard for them. Our peer support teams are already engaged with the responders and we'll be following up on that to make sure that they're okay. But I think the concern is real.
Speaker 10 (27:29):
Okay.
Speaker 14 (27:30):
What kind of communication was in the helicopter and the tower? The plane and the tower and the helicopter and plane?
Sean Duffy (27:40):
I don't want to say too much on the communication between the helicopter and the tower and the airline and the tower, but I will say this, there was communication. It was, I would say, standard communication. So there was not a breakdown, if that's your question, in communication between the military helicopter and the American airline flight, there was communication between the aircraft and the tower.
Speaker 14 (28:08):
Was the plane aware there was a helicopter in the area?
Sean Duffy (28:15):
I would say the helicopter was aware that there was a plane in the area.
Speaker 8 (28:22):
So the president, who said yesterday, he called the briefing, has he returned to the briefing room since then and have you spoken? Also a question about the National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, he's saying that there was 30 bodies that had been recovered [inaudible 00:28:36] just said that to the White House. Curious, I know you're in this press right now, so that's hard for you to update, but I do have the question [inaudible 00:28:45].
Sean Duffy (28:41):
[inaudible 00:28:45].
Chief (28:44):
I can do the body.
Sean Duffy (28:45):
Oh, you do the body first.
Chief (28:47):
So in terms of body recovery, as we recover bodies, we have a process, and no, we're not counting any bodies until they're in the possession of the medical director. So there may be some fluctuating in numbers that other people would report, but our number's from the medical examiner.
Sean Duffy (29:05):
So just in regard to the president in the briefing room, I've been with this team for the last hour plus as we've worked through the details of the information we wanted to give you. But it is my understanding that either this morning he was going to be in the situation room or the situation room is obviously briefing the president. He has been kept in full appraisal of what is taking place.
Speaker 10 (29:31):
Okay. Last two. You and you, ma'am, first.
Speaker 16 (29:34):
You mentioned that the aircraft on a standard pattern. Just curious, when the airport opens at 11 today, will planes be on that flight pattern [inaudible 00:29:45]? Are they being directed a different way?
Speaker 10 (29:50):
Jack, do you want to mention-
Speaker 17 (29:50):
[inaudible 00:29:52].
Speaker 10 (29:50):
No. Okay.
Sean Duffy (29:56):
Well, safety is paramount and I don't have that information quite yet from the FAA. So I don't want to provide an answer or inaccurate information on what routes will be flown out of DCA.
Speaker 10 (30:11):
Okay, last one.
Speaker 18 (30:12):
Two questions really quickly. What do you know about the experience and history of the pilots of both the American Airlines plane and the Army Black Hawk helicopter? And then for Secretary Duffy, last night, the president had said that this could have been prevented and questioned why air traffic control didn't tell the helicopter what to do. Is that something that investigators have determined should have happened in this situation?
Sean Duffy (30:36):
Do you want to?
Speaker 19 (30:37):
I can quickly, Secretary. Just quickly, I don't have a lot of information to release, but these were experienced pilots. I know that the captain had six years with PSA or almost six years with PSA and the first officer almost two years. And again, standard approach and that's about all I can say. Thank you.
Sean Duffy (31:00):
In regard to the military, I don't have information in regard to the experience of the military pilots. I would just note that this was classified as a training mission. Sometimes people could think that a training mission is someone who is inexperienced in the cockpit. We call these missions that are flown in the D.C. area as our pilots are getting hours and experience training missions. So don't read into that that we had how many hours the pilots on the military aircraft had. And you had another question for me that was-
Speaker 18 (31:33):
Last night the president had said that this could be prevented and also that air traffic control, questioning why they may not have communicated with the helicopter telling them what to do.
Sean Duffy (31:44):
So we are going to wait for all the information to come in from this vantage point, but to back up what the President said, what I've seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely.
Speaker 10 (31:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 18 (31:57):
Thank you.