(NewsNation) — Officials are expected to release a flight manifest Friday with a list of those on board the American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members when it collided with a military helicopter carrying three soldiers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
The manifest is expected to be released as crews continue recovery operations. D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services confirmed Friday morning that 41 bodies have been recovered from the crash site, including all three soldiers who were on the Army Black Hawk helicopter.
During a Thursday news conference, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said the flight manifest for American Airlines Flight 5342 would be released after the families of those who were on the flight are notified.
“They are waiting for all of the families to be notified,” Kelly said. “There are some folks on that plane who are from overseas. That’s partially the reason for the delay. They expect we would likely have the manifest on Friday afternoon.”
The 67 people on the plane and military helicopter are presumed dead.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is barring most helicopter flights from part of two routes near the airport and only allowing police and medical helicopters in the area between the airport and nearby bridges, an FAA official confirmed to Reuters. The restrictions impact Route 1 and Route 4 near the airport.
National Transportation Safety Board member Todd Inman said Thursday it appears the helicopter at the time of the collision was transiting from Route 1 to Route 4. He said helicopters in the D.C. area use a well-defined system.
On Friday morning, President Donald Trump reiterated his assertion the helicopter was at fault in the crash.
“The Blackhawk helicopter was flying too high, by a lot,” he posted on Truth Social. “It was far above the 200 foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???”
Investigators recover black boxes from plane in DC crash
The National Transportation Safety Board is examining the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recovered Thursday from the passenger jet.
Investigators will zero in on how the plane experienced a rapid loss of altitude on its approach over the Potomac.
Officials said their investigation “will take some time” but intend to have a preliminary report on the crash within 30 days.
Jennifer Homendy, board chair, said while it is an “all hands on deck event,” they will allow first responders to complete their “important safety mission.”
To determine the cause of the crash, Homendy said the NTSB will look at several factors, including “human, machine and the environment.”
DC plane crash: What we know so far
The midair crash occurred shortly before 9 p.m. local time Wednesday, shutting down the airport until 11 a.m. Thursday.
Part of the investigation will revolve around an interaction with air traffic control in the final moments before the collision.
According to investigators, the plane was cleared to land at a shorter runway just minutes before at Reagan National. The pilots acknowledged the change as well. Air traffic control also asked the helicopter if it could see the plane and if it could pass behind it, but, seconds later, the crash occurred.
There were 60 passengers and four crew members aboard American Eagle Flight 5342, according to American Airlines. The FAA said the plane was a Bombardier CRJ700 arriving from Wichita, Kansas.
A U.S. Army official said the helicopter was a UH-60 Black Hawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation, said both pilots were experienced and had flown the specific route before. The pilot-in-command had 1,000 flying hours, and their co-pilot had just under 500.
Who are the victims of the DC plane crash?
The victims include figure skaters and coaches, as well as members of the D.C. branch of the Steamfitters union.
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement.
United Association Steamfitters said four members were on board the American Airlines flight.
“May they rest in peace,” UA Local 602, based in Prince George’s County, Maryland, said on X.
One of the crew members killed in the crash was First Officer Sam Lilley, his father Tim Lilley, confirmed to NewsNation.
Two Chinese nationals were also among the victims of the crash, according to the Chinese Embassy in the U.S.
Here are the victims we know so far:
- Melissa Jane Nicandri
- Kiah Duggins
- Olivia Ter
- Donna Smojice Livingston
- Peter Livingston
- Everly Livingston
- Alydia Livingston
- Mikey Stovall
- Tommy Clagett
- Steve Johnson
- John Boyd
- Grace Maxwell
- Robert “Bobby” Schrock
- Lori Schrock
- Sasha Kirsanov
- Ian Epstein
- Sam Lilley
- Evgenia Shishkova
- Vadim Naumov
- Jinna Han
- Jin Han
- Spencer Lane
- Christine Lane
Michael Ramsey, Tom Dempsey, Kevin Bohn and Jacqueline Hughes contributed to this report.
