The U.S. Army unit involved in the fatal collision between a military helicopter and a passenger jet near Washington has been placed on an operational pause, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Thursday. The decision means helicopters from that unit will not be flying for now.
A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger jet on Wednesday night near Reagan Washington National Airport, sending both aircraft into the Potomac River. The military helicopter was on a training flight, but the cause of the crash remains unclear. Authorities have said there were no survivors.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the helicopter involved in the crash had a fairly experienced crew operating with night vision goggles, as the Pentagon ordered a 48-hour stand-down for the unit.
In a video statement, Hegseth said the three-soldier crew was conducting an annual proficiency training flight. “We anticipate that the investigation will quickly be able to determine whether the aircraft was in the corridor and at the right altitude at the time of the incident,” he said.
The helicopter, from the 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, will remain grounded for 48 hours, Hegseth added. The unit oversees helicopter flights in the Washington, D.C., area.
Other helicopters, such as those from the National Guard, will still be permitted to assist in recovery efforts, the official added. Military helicopters are a common sight in the Washington region, home to several bases.
