DC crash ‘almost identical' to 1949 collision: Aviation expert
(NewsNation) — The collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a military helicopter over the Potomac River shares striking similarities to a 1949 crash in the same airspace, an aviation attorney tells NewsNation.
'There was a prior accident at Washington National (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) 75 years ago almost identical to what happened last night,' said Edward Booth. 'It was Eastern Airlines, 537, Nov. 1 of 1949.'
In that crash, an Eastern Air Lines-operated Douglas DC-4 aircraft collided with a military fighting plane over the Potomac River, killing 55 people.
What we know about the DC plane crash victims
'It was the worst airline disaster in the world up until that point in time,' said Booth.
While President Donald Trump promised a swift investigation into Wednesday night's crash, Booth said an investigation will likely take 'probably a year-and-a-half to two years.
'The probable cause determination by the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) may come out within a year because I have every reason to believe this will be given top priority.'
Flights resumed at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport shortly after 11 a.m. Thursday. But many flights had been canceled, and airport information boards were covered in red cancellation messages. Other flights were delayed until late morning or afternoon.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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