CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — The parking lot was packed Saturday afternoon as Danasia Brown Elder’s loved ones showed up to commemorate her life. Through tears some family, friends and coworkers walked into the building to the sound of a small choir singing “Goin Up Yonder”.
Elder was one of the 67 victims tragically killed on January 29 after a Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines plane.
Several of Elder’s coworkers and other American Airlines flight attendants paid their respects Saturday afternoon.
Investigators recently confirmed each victim had been located in the Potomac River. National Transportation Safety Board officials have released the final two minutes before the mid-air collision. New findings show the Blackhawk helicopter crew may not have heard the air traffic controller’s instructions regarding the airplane.
“Audio transmission from the tower was audible on both covers, directing the black hawk to pass behind the CRJ. “Pass behind the…” may not have been received by the Black Hawk crew,” said NTSB chairwoman Jennifer Homendy.
Investigators say that the collision likely occurred at an altitude of about 325 feet, which would have put the black hawk above its 200-foot limit for that location. The chairwoman says cockpit conversations a few minutes before the crash showed conflicting altitude data.
The helicopter’s pilot and instructor’s pilot were not on the same page about the altitude. Homendy reported there was no sign the helicopter crew knew a crash was imminent.
“We do not have any indication that the black hawk crew would have seen that,” Homendy said.
Homendy also reported the Black Hawk helicopter crew’s vision could have been impacted by wearing night vision goggles during the training flight.
“Different seating positions, different heights, different eye positions, also taking into account night vision goggles. And we’re going to do a pretty in-depth visibility study, which we do often what the pilots of the Blackhawk could and could not see,” Homendy said.
Officials plan to move the rest of the wreckage to a secure location in DC for more examination. Each victim’s remains have been returned to their families.
