Two Airport Workers Arrested After Leaking Video of Horrific DC Plane Crash
Two employees at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority have been arrested in connection with a leaked video showing an American Airlines passenger jet colliding with a Black Hawk Army helicopter near Reagan National Airport.
The extraordinary mid-air incident has ignited widespread speculation online while authorities scramble to determine how the crash occurred.
TTOA previously reported that the collision happened Wednesday night when the American Airlines jet, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, was approaching Reagan National Airport.
The Black Hawk helicopter was conducting a training flight when the two aircraft made contact.
The impact sent the helicopter plunging into the Potomac River while the jet managed to land with significant damage.
Dramatic footage of the crash quickly spread across social media, fueling a wave of theories.
Authorities now say that video was leaked to CNN by two employees at the airport, leading to their arrests.
21-year-old Mohamed Lamine Mbengue of Rockville, Maryland, was taken into custody on Jan. 31 and later released, per reports.
Days later, 45-year-old Jonathan Savoy from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was arrested for the same offense and subsequently released on a magistrate’s summons.
Both men face charges of computer trespass for allegedly making an unauthorized copy of the video from Airports Authority records, the Daily Mail outlined in a report.
This shocking event has amplified concerns about air traffic safety in Washington, D.C., one of the most congested airspaces in the country.
Former House Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Peter DeFazio criticized lawmakers for prioritizing convenience over safety, saying that warnings about overcrowding at Reagan National had been ignored.
“Every senator in particular wants a nonstop flight to and from wherever they live,” he told Politico.
Daily Mail noted that since 2000, an additional 60 flights have been added to the airport’s daily operations, increasing congestion and heightening risks. Despite these concerns, the circumstances of Wednesday night’s crash remain murky.
Investigators are now working to understand how the crash could have happened on a clear night with relatively good visibility.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released preliminary data revealing discrepancies in the altitude readings of the two aircraft at the moment of impact, according to a another report from Daily Mail.
The passenger jet’s flight recorder showed an altitude of 325 feet, plus or minus 25 feet, while control tower data indicated the Black Hawk was at 200 feet.
If the impact did occur at 325 feet, this would place the helicopter well above the 200-foot altitude limit for helicopters in the area, raising further questions about air traffic control oversight.
Investigators are working to reconcile these discrepancies using data from the Black Hawk’s black box, though progress has been slowed because the device became waterlogged after the helicopter crashed into the Potomac River.
“That’s what our job is, to figure that out,” NTSB member Todd Inman stated at a tense Saturday evening press conference, visibly frustrated with repeated questions from reporters seeking more clarity.
Daily Mail further noted that Brice Banning, the lead investigator, described the probe as “complex,” citing the many elements involved.
He confirmed that the American Airlines jet’s black boxes captured the pilots’ final moments before impact.
“The crew had a verbal reaction,” he said, explaining that the data showed the aircraft pitching upward in an apparent attempt to avoid the collision. The impact occurred just one second later, abruptly cutting off the recording.
Authorities have confirmed that 55 of the 67 people involved in the crash have been identified.
Investigators began interviewing air traffic control personnel on Monday, along with American Airlines and U.S. Army officials, to determine what procedures were followed leading up to the collision.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy stated that investigators will examine whether the Black Hawk’s training mission complied with standard operating procedures.
Daily Mail outlined that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also weighed in on Sunday morning news programs, pressing for answers.
“What was happening inside the towers? Were they understaffed?” he asked on CNN, also questioning the helicopter pilots’ use of night vision goggles.
Later, in an interview with Fox News, Duffy revealed that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating staffing levels at the control tower.
“Staffing shortages for air traffic control have been a major problem for years and years,” he said, adding that President Donald Trump’s administration is committed to addressing the issue by ensuring “bright, smart, brilliant people” are in control towers overseeing U.S. airspace.
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