Divers returning to Potomac River for recovery and investigation after DC plane crash

Divers are expected to return to the Potomac River on Friday as part of the recovery and investigation after a midair collision killed 67 people in the United States deadliest aviation disaster in almost a quarter century.Investigators have already recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder of the American Airlines plane that collided with an Army helicopter as the plane was landing Wednesday night at Ronald Reagan National Airport next to Washington, D.C.Officials are scrutinizing a range of factors in what National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Hommendy has called an “all-hands-on-deck event.”All aboard the two aircraft were killed, with officials examining the actions of the military pilot as well as air traffic control after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the American Airlines jet.Air crash investigations can take months, and federal investigators told reporters Thursday they would not speculate on the cause.Authorities were still looking for the helicopter’s black box recorder, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday on Fox News Channel.

Other factors in the crash, including the helicopter’s altitude and whether the crew was using its night vision goggles, are still under investigation, Hegseth said.At least 28 bodies have been pulled from the Potomac River.The plane carried 60 passengers and four crew members, and three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.One air traffic controller was responsible for coordinating helicopter traffic and arriving and departing planes when the collision happened, according to a report by the Federal Aviation Administration that was obtained by The Associated Press.

Those duties are often divided between two people, but the airport typically combines the roles at 9:30 p.m., once traffic begins to slow down.On Wednesday the tower supervisor directed that they be combined earlier.“The position configuration was not normal for the time of day and volume...