Around 21:00 Local Time (2:00 GMT) on Wednesday, Jet Airlines PSA Airlines, which acted as American Airlines 5342, collided with the US Army helicopter when it was approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The passenger plane crashed into several pieces and drowned a few feet into the river, while the helicopter was up on the water, reports reports.
US airlines went from Wichita, Kansas, a plane that went from Vichita, Kansas, and transported 60 passengers and four crews.
The Pentagon said the helicopter participated in Sikorski H-60, who flew from Fort Belvoire in Virginia.
Three US soldiers were aboard, said Washington Mayor Muriel Bowzer. Another official stated that it was in a training flight, and he belonged to the company B, the 12th Aviation Battalion from Fort Belvoire in Virginia.
The clip, published on the Internet and considered CNN, intends to capture the conversation on air movement in minutes before the catastrophe. The controller is reported to hear that the helicopter is warned about the plane, but without getting the answer. The audio was not checked by the BBC.
FAA has stated that the incident was investigating with the National Transport Security Council (NTSB).
