Downed Black Hawk Was Practicing Secretive Evacuation Plans
- ‘Continuity of government’ drills go over evacuating leaders
- Drills veer into crowded airspace around Reagan National
Emergency crews respond to the crash site along the Potomac River after a passenger jet collided with a helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Photographer: Tierney L. Cross/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Top US officials said a military helicopter was on a regular training mission when it collided with a civilian airliner over the Potomac River on Wednesday night. The scenario its pilots were preparing for was anything but routine.
The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter’s unit, the 12th Aviation Battalion has a unique mission set — quickly evacuating top US officials to secure locations such as one in Pennsylvania in the event of a catastrophe or attack on the US government.