Investigations underway into Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia plane crashes (includes video story)

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating two deadly plane crashes that occurred just days apart.

The first incident involved a collision between an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C., this past Wednesday night, resulting in the deaths of all 67 individuals involved. A source told CNN that a single controller was handling both helicopter and plane traffic, a situation that, while not uncommon, may have contributed to the incident.

The second crash happened in northeast Philadelphia on Friday night when a medevac jet crashed into a neighborhood, causing a massive explosion that terrified nearby residents. The medevac jet was transporting six people, including a pediatric patient and her mother who were returning to Mexico after treatment at Shriners Children’s Hospital. The crash killed at least one person on the ground and injured more than a dozen others. Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker stated that the aircraft was only in the air for a short time before the fatal crash. 

“The city is working around the clock to keep people safe, to understand what happened,” said Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Laura Iglesias is a sophomore majoring in TV & Broadcasting. After graduating, she dreams of pursuing a career in television to inform communities.