Trump alleges that military helicopter in Washington crash was 'flying too high'

Donald Trump said yesterday the military Black Hawk helicopter that was in collision with an American Airlines jet in Washington DC was "flying too high, by a lot", as investigators continued to piece together the reasons for the disaster.

- Oliver Milman

All 64 people on the airliner, along with the three people in the army helicopter, died on Wednesday night after the two aircraft crashed into each other in midair close to Reagan National airport. The bodies of more than 40 people had been recovered from the icy Potomac River, where the wreckage now lies, by yesterday morning.

As investigators sought to analyse the black box voice and data recorders from both aircraft, there were claims that staffing levels in the air traffic control tower, and the congested skies around the capital, played a role in the crash.

In a highly unusual move, especially at these early stages of a painstaking official accident investigation, the US president weighed in on social media, alleging that the helicopter was flying above the required height limit in the clear night sky on Wednesday, as the commercial jet was on final approach to land.

Yesterday morning, ABC News aired claims that the Black Hawk was flying at 400ft, when it should have been at 200ft.