DC plane crash: Airport employees charged for leaking footage of plane collision

Two employees of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) have been accused of leaking official airport footage capturing the moment an Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 over the Potomac River near Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) last week.

According to MWAA, both men have been charged with making an unauthorised copy of Airports Authority records related to the January 29 plane collision. The leaked footage was reportedly shared with CNN, as reported by FOX 5 D.C.

Arrests and charges

Fox News report said authorities arrested Mohamed Lamine Mbengue, 21, of Rockville, Maryland, on January 31, charging him with computer trespass, a misdemeanor. Further investigations led to the arrest of Jonathan Savoy, 45, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, on the same charge.

Savoy was released on a summons by a magistrate, while Mbengue was booked into the Arlington County Adult Detention Center before being released on his own recognizance, MWAA was quoted a saying by Fox News Digital in a statement.

Court records from Arlington County General District Court indicate that Mbengue’s scheduled arraignment on Monday was postponed, and a new date had not been set as of Tuesday.

Ongoing investigation into the crash

The fatal collision resulted in 67 deaths, with authorities still working to identify all victims and clear debris from the Potomac River. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues its investigation into the cause of the crash.

Fatal collision near Washington D.C.

American Airlines Flight 5342 and a US Army helicopter collided midair near Washington D.C.’s Reagan National Airport last Wednesday night (January 29), sending both aircraft into the Potomac River. All 67 people on board were killed in what is now the deadliest US air disaster since 2001.

Crash details under investigation

The collision occurred about three miles south of the White House and US Capitol. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash, as recovery crews continue to remove wreckage from the river.

The commercial flight, a Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jet, was preparing to land with 60 passengers and four crew members onboard. The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, based at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, was on a training exercise carrying three soldiers. The skies were clear at the time of the accident.

Recovery efforts continue

Authorities have identified 55 bodies and expect to locate the remaining victims soon. Recovery crews retrieved one of the plane’s engines and large portions of the fuselage on Monday. On Tuesday, divers worked to recover the cockpit and additional wreckage.

Two Navy barges are being used to lift debris from the river, which will then be transported to a hangar for further examination. More than 300 responders are involved in the effort. Officials stressed that remains recovery takes precedence over moving debris, ensuring a dignified process for victims and their families.

Investigators analyse flight data

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has retrieved the plane’s flight data recorder, cockpit voice recorder, and the helicopter’s black box. Conflicting altitude readings are being examined, with flight data showing the jet at 325 feet, while control tower data recorded the helicopter at its maximum allowed altitude of 200 feet.

Investigators noted a last-second pitch change in the jet’s flight recorder but have not determined whether it was an evasive maneuver. The plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting 2,400 feet short of the runway, and both aircraft were found upside down in the river. A full NTSB investigation could take a year or more, though a preliminary report is expected within 30 days.

Trump’s response and controversy

President Donald Trump publicly blamed the helicopter for flying too high and suggested federal diversity and inclusion efforts in air traffic control contributed to the crash. Hhe did not provide evidence for his claims.

Victims include athletes and families

Among the passengers were teenage figure skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, their mothers, and Russian-born coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, both former world champions. They were returning from a training camp following the 2025 US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita.

Other victims included a group of hunters, four members of a Maryland steamfitters’ union, nine students and parents from Fairfax County, Virginia, and two Chinese nationals. The flight captain was identified as 34-year-old Jonathan Campos.

The US Army identified the soldiers killed in the helicopter as Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach, Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, all experienced personnel familiar with flying in the congested Washington airspace.