The National Transportation Safety Board confirmed that an Army Black Hawk helicopter was flying too high when it crashed into an American Airlines jet near Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC last week.
Data from air traffic control radar showed the military chopper was flying at 300 feet on the air traffic control display at the time of the fiery crash, according to the NTSB.
The maximum altitude allowed for helicopters in the area, which is also a flight path for jets entering and exiting Reagan, is 200 feet.
In this image provided by the US Coast Guard, the wreckage is seen in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025, in Washington.
According to the NTSB, the radar data is rounded to the nearest 100 feet, indicating that the helicopter's elevation could have ranged from 251 feet to 349 feet.
Officials, in coordination with the Naval Sea Systems Command Supervisor of Salvage and Diving, have recovered the ring wing, center fuselage, part of the left-wing and left fuselage and significant portions of the forward cabin and cockpit since the passenger plane plunged into the frigid Potomac River last Wednesday.
Officials say the wreckage will be moved to a secure location for investigation.
The Black Hawk is expected to be removed from the water later this week.
Until the helicopter is removed and examined, the NTSB said it cannot confirm the exact altitude or details.
The collision, which claimed 67 lives, is the deadliest commercial crash in the US in more than two decades.
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