Nearly a week has passed since the tragic midair collision at Reagan National Airport, where a Black Hawk helicopter struck an American Airlines regional flight from Kansas in midair, killing all 67 people aboard both aircraft.
We’re still waiting for answers on what caused this tragedy but reports confirm that black boxes from both the plane and the Black Hawk helicopter have been recovered. These devices will provide investigators with critical flight data and cockpit recordings, offering insight into the pilots’ final moments.
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But in a surprising new development, two employees of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) have been arrested for actions connected to the crash.
Mohamed Lamine Mbengue, 21, of Rockville, Maryland, was arrested on Jan. 31 and charged with computer trespass under Virginia law. He was booked into the Arlington County Adult Detention Center and later released, according to an MWAA spokesperson.
Following further investigation, authorities also charged Jonathan Savoy, 45, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, with computer trespass on Feb. 2. Savoy was released on a summons by a magistrate.
Both men are accused of making an unauthorized copy of Airports Authority records, though officials did not specify how the footage was obtained or distributed.
The footage of this horrific accident was leaked to CNN. The network proudly declared that they had obtained the footage, which shows the plane and helicopter on a collision course from a perspective not visible in other webcam videos of the incident. The brief clip captures the collision, the resulting explosion, and its aftermath.
Both individuals are accused of unlawfully making copies of Airports Authority records. However, it is unclear whether the men sold the video or provided it without getting paid for it.
Last week, Trump called for an immediate assessment of aviation safety.
“Consistent with the Presidential Memorandum of January 21, 2025 (Keeping Americans Safe in Aviation), I am further ordering the Secretary of Transportation (Secretary) and the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration (Administrator) to review all hiring decisions and changes to safety protocols made during the prior 4 years, and to take such corrective action as necessary to achieve uncompromised aviation safety, including the replacement of any individuals who do not meet qualification standards,” he wrote in a presidential memorandum. “This review shall include a systematic assessment of any deterioration in hiring standards and aviation safety standards and protocols during the Biden Administration.”
A major concern is the high level of congestion in the airspace around Reagan National, where heavy traffic has led to numerous close calls in recent years — including one between an airliner and a helicopter just a day before the fatal crash.
The FAA admitted that staffing levels were “not normal for the time of day and the volume of traffic,” a clear acknowledgment of a systemic issue. This problem was only made worse by the Biden administration’s misguided hiring policies, which prioritized diversity over merit, ultimately shutting out thousands of highly qualified white applicants.
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