Isom stated in a statement sent out to employees on Thursday, which was shared on LinkedIn by journalist Edward Russell:
"While the investigation is underway — and will continue for quite some time — we will share what we can as information becomes available. It's important to remember that the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) leads the investigation of aviation accidents. The NTSB will be the sole source of truth going forward, and accuracy is of the utmost importance."
Cooperation with authorities and PSA Airlines
American Airlines said that they are collaborating closely with local, state, and federal authorities as well as PSA Airlines, the regional affiliate, while investigators focused on the incident.
The airline is investigating every operational element that could have contributed to the tragedy and has promised to cooperate fully with the NTSB's investigation.
"We are actively working with local, state, and federal authorities on emergency response efforts and coordinating closely with PSA Airlines as it cooperates fully with the NTSB investigation," the statement said.
Prioritizing support for victims' families
Isom has expressed the airline's commitment to supporting the families of those who lost loved ones in the crash, emphasizing that the needs of the victims' families remain the airline's top priority.
On Thursday morning, the airline's CARE team, including a group of specialists trained to offer support, arrived in Washington, D.C., and Wichita, Kansas.
In addition, as part of the airline’s support efforts, a helpline was set up for family members of those aboard Flight 5342, Isom said in a video released on the American website.
As of Thursday evening, more than 40 bodies had been recovered, with crews working through challenging conditions to locate the remaining victims.
The loss of life has been compounded by the deaths of three soldiers in the Black Hawk helicopter, which was reportedly conducting routine operations when it collided with the passenger jet.
The US Army has identified two of the three military personnel killed, though the name of the third soldier has not been released.
Many people, including the American figure skating community, have been affected by the tragic death. Several of its members were on the airplane, returning from a development camp in Wichita, the group said.
Notable individuals in the skating community, including instructors Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova, were among the casualties; however, specifics about the passengers are still being verified.
Ongoing investigation
The collision occurred as Flight 5342, a regional flight from Wichita, Kansas, was preparing to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C.
The midair crash led to both aircraft plummeting into the Potomac River, sparking immediate recovery efforts. The NTSB has since recovered both black boxes from the American Airlines jet.
In a press briefing on Friday, NTSB member Todd Inman stated that the CRJ's cockpit voice recorder was recovered through "water intrusion," which is "not uncommon."
Before investigators tried to recover data, the gadget was immersed in ionized water for the whole night and then put in a vacuum oven, he added.
On the other hand, the flight data recorder was in good condition, and the officials had a "high level of confidence" that a full data download would be possible.
