Investigators have recovered the flight data recorders, also known as the black boxes, from the American Airlines jet that collided with a US Army helicopter over the Potomac River near Washington, DC.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed that while they have gathered a lot of information, verification will take time, and a preliminary report will be released within 30 days.

All 64 people aboard the regional jet and the three military crew members were killed in the crash.

Trump and the blame game

US President Donald Trump expressed his condolences, stating, "Our hearts are shattered" by the incident that occurred on Wednesday night. However, Trump controversially linked the crash to diversity hiring policies under previous administrations, speculating that people hired for air traffic control roles may not always have been qualified, though he presented no evidence to support this claim.

Trump also addressed the nation, offering condolences during "an hour of anguish" and paying tribute to first responders. He then quickly shifted gears, expressing that while the cause of the crash is unknown, he had "some very strong opinions and ideas."

Trump further claimed that changes to air traffic controller recruitment during the Obama and Biden presidencies may have played a role in the tragedy, although it's unclear how these diversity efforts might have affected the quality of the workforce.

The FAA, which employs over 35,000 people, has a small fraction of those handling air traffic control.

In an audio clip, air traffic controllers can be heard asking the helicopter's crew if they could see the plane. 

Understaffed tower

In a related context, a government report revealed that the air traffic control tower at Reagan National Airport was understaffed at the time of the collision, The Washington Post reported.

Two controllers were performing the duties of four, amid busy air traffic, as per the report.

The report also added that staffing levels were "not normal" for that time of day and for the amount of air traffic, especially considering the high volume of helicopters in the area.

The crash occurred around 8:50 pm, and its cause remains under investigation.

Additionally, the helicopter controller role had been combined with that of the local controller, a move that could complicate communication and coordination in busy airspace. These roles use different radio frequencies, making it difficult for airplane and helicopter pilots to hear one another even if both are communicating with the tower.