A plane crash near Reagan Washington National Airport captured the attention of several eyewitnesses on the ground, sparking a series of dramatic recounts of the incident. The crash occurred early Thursday morning, causing immediate suspension of flights at the airport. Witnesses Ari Schulman, Abadi Ismali, and Courtney Cain provided vivid descriptions of the event that sent shockwaves through the community.
Ari Schulman, on his way home, witnessed the aircraft's final moments. As he drove, Schulman saw the plane sharply bank to the right just 100 feet above ground. He described an eruption of sparks illuminating the underside of the plane in bright yellow hues. Despite making a U-turn to investigate, Schulman found nothing unusual while driving north.
Abadi Ismali, another witness, was startled by a deafening noise emanating from the south side of the airport. The sound was so intense that Ismali likened it to something out of a war zone.
"A very unusual sound. Something you don't hear on a daily basis. It's more like in a war zone, something you hear on the movies," – Ismali
Courtney Cain experienced the crash from her home at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling. Her 5-year-old son expressed concern for those aboard, highlighting the emotional impact felt by local residents. Cain admitted being deeply shaken by the incident, feeling tremors long after the noise had subsided.
In response to the crash, President Donald Trump addressed the nation, expressing grief over the tragedy and speculating on its potential causes. Simultaneously, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) committed to a thorough investigation to determine what led to this catastrophic event.
Flights at Reagan Airport were halted immediately following the crash but resumed operations at 11 a.m. on Thursday. Despite this return to normalcy, many individuals, including Schulman, struggled with lingering effects.
"You hear from forensic experts about how imperfect memory is, and how it changes every time you access it. I've now told this story so many times that I can feel that effect," – Schulman
Schulman confessed to having difficulty sleeping after witnessing such a traumatic event, still feeling unsettled by what he had seen.
Leave a Reply