The staffing at the air control tower at Reagan National Airport was "not normal" when an American Airlines plane and Army helicopter collided on Wednesday night, a report shows.

The air traffic controller working at the time of the deadly plane-helicopter crash in Washington was doing the work of two people, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an ex-Army Black Hawk pilot, said communications between airline and military pilots usually go through air traffic control.

It appears that the first major air disaster in the U.S. since 2009 has occurred while the Federal Aviation Administration does not have a permanent leader.

Trump acknowledged it was too soon to draw conclusions but nonetheless moved to assign blame. Trump said he had no evidence to support his claims that diversity initiatives and hiring preferences played a role in the crash.

The FAA released a statement Wednesday that said, “A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.

It appears that the first major air disaster in the U.S. since 2009 has occurred while the Federal Aviation Administration does not have a permanent leader.

Chris Rocheleau is a Central Connecticut State University graduate who has worked much of his career with the Federal Aviation Administration.

President Donald Trump has begun his second administration with a series of controversial moves and decisions.

President Donald Trump on Thursday named Chris Rocheleau, a National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) executive and 22-year FAA veteran, as acting FAA administrator in the wake of a fatal midair collision in the Washington, D.C., area that is believed to have killed 67 people.