Transportation through commercial flying has been proven to be safer than traveling on highways. Recent data has shown that fewer people were hurt or killed by airplanes than cars, subways, trains, buses, and motorcycles.
With this being said, accidents do happen and tragic plane crashes do occur from time to time.
In recent weeks, just a day apart from each other, two devastating plane crashes resulted in the deaths of many lives.
On Jan 29. an American Airlines flight intended to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport from Wichita, Kansas descended into the Potomac River after colliding with a Black Hawk Helicopter. This abrupt collision caused both aircrafts to plummet into the cold waters of the Potomac river and left no one alive. `
American Airlines pilot Ed Logan said, “ I’ve flown into Reagan Airport for almost 30 years. At any given time on any given approach corridor they’re always seems to be helicopter traffic. Airline Pilots have been complaining about it for as long as I’ve been flying into Reagan and probably two decades prior to that. From my personal experience, and from many others that I have flown with over countless decades, we have always refused the Runway 33 approach to Reagan.
Tragically from preliminary data what happened on January 29th you had helicopter traffic at the wrong altitude, collision avoidance equipment turned off, Air Traffic Control giving no Azimuth guidance to where the Conflicting aircraft traffic was going to be positioned, and a perfectly good flying Regional Jet Aircraft flew right into conflicting traffic. Senior pilots have always stated throughout my career most regulations were written in blood and guaranteed there will be new regulations regarding flying in and out of Reagan in the near future. God bless and Godspeed to all that perished that day….our prayers are with them!!”
The circumstances of what these souls encountered on these days are far from out of the ordinary. As proven by facts, and stated through many pilots, this airport has its hardships. With these common hardships, pilots facing the indefinite fate of these lost souls still result with the same outcome. Pilots and crew members are aware of the circumstances they have to undergo while onboard, but the lives of this crew and passengers aboard this plane during this heartbreaking event will never be the same.
Regarding Flight attendant Ian Epstein his brother stated, “My brother was a wonderful, wonderful man. He loved life. He loved traveling. He loved his job. He loved his family,” Bloom told CNN. “And he will be sorely missed.”
With the incredible loss and tragedy this plane crash brought to the U.S. the irony of another plane crash the next day shocked the U.S. Citizens. Plane crashes are most definitely heard of but frequent occurrences are rare, especially shortly after one another.
On Jan. 30th the Jet Rescue Air Ambulance crashed into a Philadelphia neighborhood leaving no survivors. This aircraft descended into the depths of a Roosevelt Mall at 6:30 p.m. This mall is an outdoor shopping center about 3 miles from the airport. As the Jan. 29th crash brough tragedy into our world this crash had its own devastating story. A girl who had traveled from Mexico and came to the U.S. for “life-saving treatment” with her mom and was going back home lost her life to this tragic accident.
Shriners Children’s Philadelphia hospital associated remarked, “The treatment ran its course. She was ready to go home, and we were contracted to bring her back home to Mexico,” Gold said. “Ultimate destination was the Tijuana International Airport and was scheduled to go home by ground ambulance.”
This girl was given a life saving treatment that the doctors would see as a solution to all their problems, little did they know the treatment would be nothing compared to what she was going to face. She was questioned by what her life would hold until a second opportunity to continue to live in this world arose and it was all taken in the blink of an eye.
Airplanes have been known to be one of the most safe ways to transport a human from place to place. But in all circumstances accidents do happen and lives will be lost. With anything in life there are always going to be risks, and you will never be able to predict what outcome is in store for you at the end of the day. Recognizing the faults and accomplishments of our transportations system is what helps us grow as a nation and brings to attention to always be grateful for the day you were given because in a matter of seconds everything you ever knew and loved could be gone.
