Former Air Force One crew member reacts to DC plane crash

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Reactions pour in from across the country following a fatal crash between a passenger plane and black hawk helicopter over Washington, DC Wednesday night.  

Howie Franklin of Southport is distinctly familiar with Washington’s airspace.  

Franklin was the chief flight attendant aboard Air Force One for Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton.  

He said he was devastated to hear of the crash, and noted DC has one of the busiest airspaces in the country.  

He—like many other aviation experts have noted—said the crash could have been caused by several factors including human error, mechanical malfunctions, and lack of visibility at night.  

He noted it will likely take months before investigators have any solid answers.  

“If you’re tired, or you didn’t get the right rest, that’s going to affect you, and then when you’re below 1000 feet in that area it’s really dangerous. So many things that can play into this situation,” Franklin said. 

Franklin added it’s also very common for military helicopters to fly along the Potomac. 

“Very big tragedy in an airspace that it’s a miracle there’s not more than that. All the traffic, you consider all the traffic that’s in and out of that area,” he said. 

Franklin also noted that military aircraft like the black hawk helicopter that was a part of the crash aren’t required to have the same radar capabilities that civilian aircraft do, which could be a contributing factor.