How Hero Pilots Launched Last-Minute Fight to Save Doomed American Airlines Jet SECONDS Before Mid-Air Crash Wiped Out All 64 Passengers on Board
The pilots on the doomed flight are believed to have made a final move to save everyone.
Feb. 3 2025, Published 7:45 p.m. ET
The pilots flying American Airlines Flight 5342 attempted to save all passengers aboard with a last-minute maneuver.
According to preliminary data from the doomed plane's flight recorder, Captain Jonathan Campos and his First Officer Samuel Lilley tried to pull the jet's nose up just moments before a Black Hawk crashed into it, with both aircraft falling into the Potomac River, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The pilots of American Airlines Flight 5342 tried to save everyone with one last move.
During a press conference over the weekend, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member Todd Inman explained: "At one point very close to the impact, there was a slight change in pitch, an increase in pitch."
Inman said data from the flight recorder show the plane's altitude was at 325ft, plus or minus 25ft, when the crash occurred. However, data in the control tower showed the Black Hawk at 200ft.
The discrepancy has yet to be explained, but if the impact did occur at 325ft, the crash would have happened above the maximum allowed altitude of 200ft for helicopters in the area.
Captain Jonathan Campos was on the doomed flight.
"... Obviously an impact occurred, and I would say when an impact occurs, that is typically where the altitude of both aircraft were at the moment," Inman added.
On January 29, the American Airlines Flight with 64 people aboard, collided with the Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport.
All people aboard, including three on the chopper, were confirmed to have died in the crash.
First Officer Samuel Lilley was also on the flight before it crashed into the Potomac River.
Many theories have followed, with some suggesting the crash was intentional – noting how "military helicopters don't fly into planes."
Others claimed the Black Hawk seemed to "chase" the passenger plane, comparing the incident to a "1970s style assassination." Meanwhile, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom put the blame on the helicopter pilot.
"We don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft," he said.
Following the tragedy, President Donald Trump used the opportunity to blame diversity initiatives and former presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
The 78-year-old said from the White House: "I put safety first. Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first."
Captain Chesley 'Sully' Sullenberger, who saved 155 passengers by successfully landing a US Airways plane in the Hudson River in 2009, has his own theory on why the plane crash may have happened, pointing out the lack of lights over the river.
President Donald Trump ranted following the crash, including blaming the incident on diversity initiatives.
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He told the New York Times: "There would have been fewer ground lights visible over the water than over land at night. This might have made it a little bit harder to see.
"Nighttime always makes things different about seeing other aircraft – basically all you can do is see the lights on them."
"You have to try to figure out: Are they above you or below you? Or how far away? Or which direction are they headed? Everything is harder at night," the retired pilot said.
Sullenberger added: "I'm just devastated by this. We have the obligation to learn from every failure and improve."
