NTSB demands urgent restrictions on helicopter routes near Reagan airport after crash that killed 67
'It is stronger than an oversight,' said NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy at a news conference in Arlington, Virginia, where the airport is located, on Tuesday.
Sixty-seven people were killed on January 29, when an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines regional jet mid-air over the Potomac River in Washington D.C. American Airlines Flight 5342 was carrying 64 people while on its descent into Ronald Reagan International Airport from Wichita, Kansas, as three soldiers on the helicopter participated in a training mission.
It's believed the service members were wearing night-vision goggles that could have obscured their vision.
Black Hawk helicopters frequently flew along Route 4, an airway spanning from Hains Point to Wilson Bridge, before the U.S. Department of Transportation issued a restriction after the crash, which is in place until March 31st
The crash marked the first in a series of US aviation disasters at the start of the year. Two days after the incident, a medevac jet crashed in a residential and commercial area of Philadelphia, killing seven people on board, including 11-year-old Valentina Guzmán Murillo and her mother, Lizeth Murillo Osuna, 31.
The pair had just left Shriners Children's Hospital Philadelphia, where Valentina spent five months receiving life-saving treatment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Doctor issues warning about wearing common clothing item on flights
You might want to think twice before reaching for leggings or tight jeans the next time you fly, as experts have revealed the popular clothing items may be some of the worst things to wear on a plane. It's pretty common for passengers boarding major airlines like American Airlines , United, and Southwest to throw on a comfy pair of leggings or some cute jeans, but now, they have been urged to reconsider their travel fashion. A doctor recently spoke out about the dangers of donning tight clothes while flying to Huffington Post . 'The clothing we wear when we fly can significantly impact our circulation,' Dr. Hugh Pabarue, a vein specialist with Metro Vein Centers, explained. 'For example, tight clothing is not recommended. Wearing leggings and other restrictive garments such as skinny jeans that are too tight reduces blood's ability to flow into and out of the legs.' He explained that wearing skin-tight outfits while you're seated for hours in a cramped cabin can restrict circulation, leading to swollen legs, numbness, or worse - deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a dangerous condition where blood clots form in the legs. 'Wearing clothes that are too tight can potentially lead to conditions like compartment syndrome or meralgia paresthetica, causing numbness, tingling, and severe leg pain,' added Dr. Pabarue. Aviation specialist Christine Negroni also agreed with the clothing warning, and in addition to the health risks, she added that leggings pose another problem if there's ever an emergency on board. She pointed out that in the event of a fire, wearing leggings, which are made from synthetic fibers, could result in worse burns. 'The issue with leggings is the nature of the material,' Negroni told Huffington Post. 'You have a tight garment that is usually made from synthetic fibers, made from petroleum products, which is not something you want to wear on an airplane. 'The largest risk in a survivable air accident is fire.' '[The material of leggings] is going to get very hot, it will either melt on your skin or cause serious burns, and that becomes something that will impact your ability to escape the aircraft,' she added. 'In other words, if you're not damaged beyond [the] ability to exit, to get out of the airplane, then you might be affected by the fire.' One flight attendant previously went viral after she shared clothes that she advises against while flying. First, Rydell claimed you should never fly in 'shorts or crop tops' because its gets very cold on a flight. Explaining further in the caption, she wrote: 'Shorts or crop tops - ever felt the wrath of plane AC [air conditioning] on bare thighs or on your naked belly? Brutal.' Next, the flight attendant revealed why flip flops should be avoided at all costs when traveling. She wrote: 'Flip flops - fine for the beach, not for running to your gate or emergency landings. Plus, I know you will take them off during the flight and walk barefoot.' Similarly to Negroni, the air hostess also explained that tights should not be worn when flying, as she explained that they could be a safety hazard if there was a fire onboard. She said: 'Tights [are] synthetic = flammable. Not what you want in case of fire [as the] fabric might burn into your skin.' Back in April, a travel expert revealed what the most comfortable and stylish clothes are to wear to the airport. Having layers you can easily chuck off and on is vital for running to the boarding gate or settling down for a nap at 34,000 feet, she detailed. She suggested items such as slip-on sneakers, T-shirts, lounge sets, button-up shirts, and long cotton dresses.
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Doctor issues terrifying warning to plane passengers who wear common clothing item on flights
You might want to think twice before reaching for leggings or tight jeans the next time you fly, as experts have revealed the popular clothing items may be some of the worst things to wear on a plane. It's pretty common for passengers boarding major airlines like American Airlines, United, and Southwest to throw on a comfy pair of leggings or some cute jeans, but now, they have been urged to reconsider their travel fashion. A doctor recently spoke out about the dangers of donning tight clothes while flying to Huffington Post. 'The clothing we wear when we fly can significantly impact our circulation,' Dr. Hugh Pabarue, a vein specialist with Metro Vein Centers, explained. 'For example, tight clothing is not recommended. Wearing leggings and other restrictive garments such as skinny jeans that are too tight reduces blood's ability to flow into and out of the legs.' He explained that wearing skin-tight outfits while you're seated for hours in a cramped cabin can restrict circulation, leading to swollen legs, numbness, or worse - deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a dangerous condition where blood clots form in the legs. 'Wearing clothes that are too tight can potentially lead to conditions like compartment syndrome or meralgia paresthetica, causing numbness, tingling, and severe leg pain,' added Dr. Pabarue. Aviation specialist Christine Negroni also agreed with the clothing warning, and in addition to the health risks, she added that leggings pose another problem if there's ever an emergency on board. She pointed out that in the event of a fire, wearing leggings, which are made from synthetic fibers, could result in worse burns. 'The issue with leggings is the nature of the material,' Negroni told Huffington Post. 'You have a tight garment that is usually made from synthetic fibers, made from petroleum products, which is not something you want to wear on an airplane. 'The largest risk in a survivable air accident is fire.' '[The material of leggings] is going to get very hot, it will either melt on your skin or cause serious burns, and that becomes something that will impact your ability to escape the aircraft,' she added. 'In other words, if you're not damaged beyond [the] ability to exit, to get out of the airplane, then you might be affected by the fire.' One flight attendant previously went viral after she shared clothes that she advises against while flying. Sille Rydell, claimed items such as that shorts, crop tops, and flip flops are all bad choices. She captioned the post: 'Your outfit might be cute at the gate, but at 38,000 feet? Not so much. Here's what I never fly in and why.' Alongside a clip of Rydell walking through a first class cabin, she shared what you should 'not wear on a plane' and asserted that she is speaking from experience, having 'seen it all.' First, Rydell claimed you should never fly in 'shorts or crop tops' because its gets very cold on a flight. Explaining further in the caption, she wrote: 'Shorts or crop tops - ever felt the wrath of plane AC [air conditioning] on bare thighs or on your naked belly? Brutal.' Next, the flight attendant revealed why flip flops should be avoided at all costs when traveling. She wrote: 'Flip flops - fine for the beach, not for running to your gate or emergency landings. Plus, I know you will take them off during the flight and walk barefoot.' Similarly to Negroni, the air hostess also explained that tights should not be worn when flying, as she explained that they could be a safety hazard if there was a fire onboard. She said: 'Tights [are] synthetic = flammable. Not what you want in case of fire [as the] fabric might burn into your skin.' Back in April, a travel expert revealed what the most comfortable and stylish clothes are to wear to the airport. Having layers you can easily chuck off and on is vital for running to the boarding gate or settling down for a nap at 34,000 feet, she detailed. She suggested items such as slip-on sneakers, T-shirts, lounge sets, button-up shirts, and long cotton dresses.
Daily Mail
16-06-2025
- Daily Mail
Colorado rescuers forced to use Black Hawk helicopter after two hikers were struck by LIGHTNING
Rescuers in Colorado had to use a Black Hawk helicopter to save two hikers who were struck by lightning near the summit of a huge mountain. The dramatic rescue happened Thursday near the top of Torreys Peak - a 14,300ft mountain about 40 miles outside of Denver. The hikers, two unidentified men from New York state, called for help around 5pm after they got off course while attempting to climb the 11th-highest summit in the state. 'It doesn't sound like they had a ton of prior experience. I think it was probably just a lack of awareness,' Jake Smith, one of the rescuers, said. Mission leaders then directed the men on how to get back on the correct trail, but while on the phone, things quickly took a turn for the worse. After an hour of talking to the hikers, the team were preparing to 'stand down' when all of sudden the pair was struck by lightning, leaving one of the men unresponsive, Alpine Rescue Team said. Moments later, one of the hikers told the team what happened, prompting about 30 rescuers to make their way up the steep mountain while another group brought in a Colorado National Guard Black Hawk helicopter for assistance. 'He was on the phone with them and said they've been struck by lightning, and then at that time it was kind of "Go, go, go get things ready, get out the door!,' Smith told CBS News. 'After a few more seconds, somebody came back on the line had said, "We've been hit by lightning. My partner's down. He's not responsive. He's foaming at the mouth. Do I start CPR? What do I do?"' The military chopper was specifically brought in to transport the unresponsive man in critical condition by using a hoist at 14,200ft to get him off the mountain. The injured man was then flown down to an ambulance and taken to a local hospital before being transferred to a burn unit, according to Smith. The helicopter then made another trip around midnight to rescue the less seriously hurt man. Dramatic footage showed rescuers securing one of the hikers as the helicopter made its way to the top of the mountain. Other images showed the team hiking up the mountain with gear and flashlights. The hikers' current conditions remain unclear. Daily Mail contacted Alpine Rescue Team for more information. Both rescues took place around 14,200ft - the new state records for a helicopter rescue, officials believe. The previous rescue reached 13,700ft. These rescues are specifically challenging because the thin air causes choppers to lose lifting ability the higher they fly. Black Hawk helicopters have an altitude of approximately 19,000ft, the Associated Press reported. Both hikers and climbers typically prefer to ascend in the morning to avoid the Rocky Mountain high country during summer afternoons. Thunderstorms are common in the area and are known to develop suddenly with not just lightning, but low temperatures and hail.
