1 February 2025
The NTSB provided additional updates today on information recovered from the CRJ’s flight data recorder, the condition of the H-60’s recorder, and the status of the air traffic controllers in the DCA tower.
FDR data indicates the CRJ was at 325 feet ± 25 feet, this is ADS-B data combined with FDR data. Altitude reported by NTSB is corrected altitude data.
Initial data indicates the altitude seen by the air traffic controller on the radar scope showed the aircraft at 200 feet. The NTSB hopes to verify that altitude by 2 February. The data shown on the radar scope is lower fidelity.
The H-60 helicopter’s recorder shows evidence of water intrusion, the NTSB is drying the recording before retrieving data. It hopes to do this tomorrow.
The FDR from the CRJ has been downloaded. It contains about 400 parameters.
The CRJ’s cockpit voice recorder has now been downloaded and read out. All times listed in Eastern Standard Time —
20:45:27: CRJ Autopilot off
20:46:01: ATC makes PAT25 aware of CRJ south of the Wilson Bridge
20:46:29: 1000’ call out on CRJ
20:47:29: 500’ call out on CRJ
20:47:39: ATC asks if PAT25 has the CRJ in sight
20:47:40: TRAFFIC TRAFFIC aural alert sounds
20:47:42: DCA Tower directs PAT25 to pass behind the CRJ
20:47:58: CRJ crew has verbal reaction and airplane begins to increase its pitch
20:47:59: Sounds of impact
There were 5 air traffic controllers in the DCA tower at the time of the accident
1 Local controller working fixed wing and helicopter traffice
1 Ground controller
1 local assistant controller
1 Supervisor
1 Supervisor in training
The NTSB provided additional updates today on information recovered from the CRJ’s flight data recorder, the condition of the H-60’s recorder, and the status of the air traffic controllers in the DCA tower.
FDR data indicates the CRJ was at 325 feet ± 25 feet, this is ADS-B data combined with FDR data. Altitude reported by NTSB is corrected altitude data.
Initial data indicates the altitude seen by the air traffic controller on the radar scope showed the aircraft at 200 feet. The NTSB hopes to verify that altitude by 2 February. The data shown on the radar scope is lower fidelity.
The H-60 helicopter’s recorder shows evidence of water intrusion, the NTSB is drying the recording before retrieving data. It hopes to do this tomorrow.
The FDR from the CRJ has been downloaded. It contains about 400 parameters.
The CRJ’s cockpit voice recorder has now been downloaded and read out. All times listed in Eastern Standard Time —
20:45:27: CRJ Autopilot off
20:46:01: ATC makes PAT25 aware of CRJ south of the Wilson Bridge
20:46:29: 1000’ call out on CRJ
20:47:29: 500’ call out on CRJ
20:47:39: ATC asks if PAT25 has the CRJ in sight
20:47:40: TRAFFIC TRAFFIC aural alert sounds
20:47:42: DCA Tower directs PAT25 to pass behind the CRJ
20:47:58: CRJ crew has verbal reaction and airplane begins to increase its pitch
20:47:59: Sounds of impact
There were 5 air traffic controllers in the DCA tower at the time of the accident
1 Local controller working fixed wing and helicopter traffice
1 Ground controller
1 local assistant controller
1 Supervisor
1 Supervisor in training
