Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy confirmed that both the American Airlines jet and the military helicopter were following a standard flight pattern on a clear night in Washington, D.C. last night. According to Duffy, helicopters flying up and down the river in the DC area is a common sight.
The military helicopter was reported to be in the standard flight pattern, which was reiterated by Duffy during a news conference. He emphasized that the American Airlines flight approaching DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) was also following a standard flight pattern for landing.
Duffy reassured the public that the presence of both the military aircraft and the commercial flight in the area simultaneously was not unusual. He explained that such occurrences are to be expected, given the regular flight operations in the region.
