That may well be one thing that’s wrong, but I’m going to guess that normally, one still wouldn’t have a regional jet flying directly over a helicopter with just 150 feet of vertical separation.
EDIT: I was waiting to see if VASAviation – a YouTube channel that puts up ATC radio recordings – would put up logs for this one. Looks like they have; three separate videos.
EDIT2: Might be more analysis going on on news or aviation sites, but as per the recordings, the helicopter was notified about the plane, said that they had the plane in sight and had requested and was granted clearance for visual separation with it. My understanding is that that places some level of responsibility on the pilot:
Maintain communication with at least one of the aircraft involved and ensure there is an ability to communicate with the other aircraft.
The pilot sees another aircraft and is instructed to maintain visual separation from the aircraft as follows:
Tell the pilot about the other aircraft. Include position, direction, type, and, unless it is obvious, the other aircraft’s intention.
Obtain acknowledgment from the pilot that the other aircraft is in sight.
Instruct the pilot to maintain visual separation from that aircraft.
If the pilot reports the traffic in sight and will maintain visual separation from it (the pilot must state both), the controller may “approve” the operation instead of restating the instructions.
If aircraft are on converging courses, inform the other aircraft of the traffic and that visual separation is being applied.
I don’t think that the above happened in the recording.
Advise the pilots if the targets appear likely to merge.
I don’t think that that happened (at least, not explicitly, though there were multiple transmissions to the helicopter about the plane; I don’t know if there’s specific terminology that has to be used).
That may well be one thing that’s wrong, but I’m going to guess that normally, one still wouldn’t have a regional jet flying directly over a helicopter with just 150 feet of vertical separation.
EDIT: I was waiting to see if VASAviation – a YouTube channel that puts up ATC radio recordings – would put up logs for this one. Looks like they have; three separate videos.
Audio of MID-AIR CRASH into Potomac River | Regional Jet and Black Hawk Helicopter
Last Radio from Army Helicopter | Mid-Air Crash with American Airlines CRJ-700
Related: Ronald Reagan Airport CLOSED After Mid-Air Crash | All Planes Diverted
EDIT2: Might be more analysis going on on news or aviation sites, but as per the recordings, the helicopter was notified about the plane, said that they had the plane in sight and had requested and was granted clearance for visual separation with it. My understanding is that that places some level of responsibility on the pilot:
https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/atc_html/chap7_section_2.html
I don’t think that the above happened in the recording.
I don’t think that that happened (at least, not explicitly, though there were multiple transmissions to the helicopter about the plane; I don’t know if there’s specific terminology that has to be used).