An eyewitness to the collision of a passenger jet and a military helicopter on Wednesday night vividly described the harrowing scene as the aircraft plummeted into the Potomac River. Roy Best, a resident of an apartment building in the Crystal City neighborhood near Reagan National Airport, recounted the moment of impact, stating, 'I heard a loud explosion, I looked to the left, saw just a big ball of fire and then wreckage just falling down toward the river. And my neighbor hollered out, ‘Oh my God, that’s a plane!’ Wreckage just went straight down.'
Best further elaborated on the frequent air traffic in the area, noting the regular presence of police helicopters, military helicopters shuttling to and from bases and the Pentagon, as well as Coast Guard helicopters. He emphasized the bustling airspace, indicating that it was not uncommon to witness various aircraft traversing the skies during nighttime hours.
The collision, which resulted in a devastating crash and subsequent wreckage, left Best and other witnesses stunned by the tragic event. The eyewitness account provides a firsthand perspective on the chaos and destruction that unfolded as the aircraft spiraled downward, culminating in a fiery crash into the river.
