NTSB Reveals New Timeline On Potomac Aircraft Collision, Says It Needs To Retrieve Black Hawk To Find Out More About The Crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) revealed on Tuesday a new timeline for its investigation on the aircraft collision over the Potomac river, saying it won't provide any new information until authorities retrieve the Army Black Hawk helicopter that crashed with the American Airlines passenger jet.

"NTSB needs additional information to verify data points from the Black Hawk. In order to obtain this information, the Black Hawk needs to be recovered from the water, which is expected to take place later this week," the agency said in a post on X, adding that it will provide an investigative update on its website.

The update comes shortly after the agency released pictures of the airplane's cockpit voice recorder (CVR), which was recovered at a "depth of 8 feet." Authorities said last week that the CVR was found with water intrusion, a common issue in these cases.

The device has been undergoing specialized drying procedures, including immersion in ionized water and placement in a vacuum oven, to remove moisture before attempting data extraction.

NTSB officials also recovered the Flight Data Recorder (FDR) days ago, saying they have a "high level of confidence" that a full data download will be possible, providing key information to the investigation.

The FDR, which contains up to 2,000 data points, was found in good condition and soaked in alcohol overnight before being opened for evaluation. Investigators are working to synchronize and verify the recorded data, a complex process officials warn will take time and must be entirely completed before any findings can be released.

The military Sikorsky H-60 helicopter involved in the collision had a combined cockpit voice and flight data recorder in a single unit. This "black box" has been recovered and transported to NTSB headquarters for further analysis. A visual inspection showed no apparent exterior damage, leading officials to believe they will also be able to extract data from this device.

These recorders are crucial in determining the cause of the crash, which claimed 67 lives. The NTSB emphasized that the analysis process is meticulous and time-consuming but remains confident that the information retrieved will provide critical insights into the moments leading up to the disaster.

Recovery efforts continue on Tuesday, with crews returning to the Potomac river to look for the remaining bodies and retrieve the plane debris from the water. Crews will focus on recovering the passenger jet's cockpit after the fuselage and engines were pulled on Monday. So far 55 bodies have been recovered, with 12 more remaining.