Air traffic control towers at the airport captured audio of the immediate aftermath of the crash.
In the recording, someone — presumably a pilot — asks the air traffic controllers, “Tower, did you see that?” A controller responds, “Yep, we saw it.”
The same controller tells aircraft in the area to hold their positions.
The controller details what they saw: “It was probably out in the middle of the river. Um, I just saw a fireball and then it was just gone. I haven’t seen anything since they hit the river. But It was a CR-J and a helicopter that hit, I would say a half-mile of the approach.”
The airplane is a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet.
Almost immediately, the controllers close the airfield, shutting down all runways and stopping landings and any movements.
Within minutes, the controllers begin redirecting other aircraft in the region.
“I need you to land immediately,” a controller demands. “Can you go to Dulles for a few minutes?” Another aircraft is asked to go to Baltimore.
The controllers also ask other aircraft for help with the search-and-rescue operation.
“Flight deck, do you have any type of search light or anything on board that would help shed some light?” a controller asks.
A little more than 10 minutes after the crash, a controller asks a pilot on the ground whether he wants to return to the gate.
“I don’t know if we’re going to be able to resume operations in the near future,” he says. A minute later, he sends the pilot back to the gate, saying, “They’re going to close the airport.”
