Jennifer Homendy, chair of NTSB, said: “We’re here to assure the American people that we are going to leave no stone unturned in this investigation.”

“This is an all hands on deck event,” she said, noting nearly 50 people are on the scene.

NTSB will provide a preliminary report within 30 days and a final report after all of the facts are collected.

Information about fatalities will come from the D.C. medical examiner, Todd Inman of the NTSB said.

The black boxes have not yet been recovered, Homendy said.

Ice skating coach Evgenia Shishkova and her husband Vadim Naumov, both former figure skating world champions, were also on board the plane.

They were members of the Skate Club of Boston community, joining the staff in 2017 as instructors.

The Russian couple won the world championships in pairs figure skating in 1994 and have reportedly lived in the US since at least 1998, where they trained young ice skaters.

The couple’s son Maxim, who competed for the US in singles, was not on the flight despite earlier reports that he was traveling with his parents.

Zeghibe confirmed that Maxim departed Wichita on Monday after competing on Sunday.

Mike Whitaker, the FAA administrator under the Biden administration, resigned before Trump returned to the White House, meaning there’s a vacancy in the post amid an aviation disaster.

Back in September, Elon Musk, Trump’s “First Buddy” and head of DOGE, urged Whitaker to step down.

Whitaker announced in December that he would resign on January 20, the day Trump was inaugurated.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was sworn in Tuesday, oversees the FAA.

Trump appointed Chris Rocheleau to serve as the acting head of the Federal Aviation Administration, he announced Thursday.

A statement from the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region/ U.S. Army Military District of Washington in the wake of the crash:

“Our deepest condolences go out to all the families and friends impacted during this tragedy, and we will support them through this difficult time. Our top priority is to assist in the recovery efforts, while fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and other investigative agencies to determine the cause of this tragic incident,” said Maj. Gen. Trevor J. Bredenkamp, commander Joint Task Force – National Capital Region/ U.S. Army Military District of Washington.

“While the investigation is ongoing, we are committed to transparency and will share accurate updates as soon as they become available,” said Bredenkamp.

President Donald Trump used a deadly air crash that killed three Army aviators and 64 passengers and crew aboard an American Airlines jet to attack his two Democratic predecessors and falsely suggest the tragedy was the result of diversity initiatives in government.

In his first visit to the White House briefing room since returning to the presidency last week, Trump initially offered a moment of silence for the victims and praised the efforts of first responders.

“We must have only the highest standards for those who work in our aviation system. I changed the Obama standards from very mediocre at best to extraordinary, you remember that only the highest aptitude they have to be the highest intellect and psychologically superior people were allowed to qualify for air traffic controllers,” he claimed.

“That was not so prior to getting there … and then when I left office and Biden took over, he changed them back to lower than ever before. I put safety first. Obama, Biden and the Democrats put policy first, and they put politics at a level that nobody’s ever seen because this was the lowest level. Their policy was horrible, and their politics was even worse,” Trump added.

Andrew Feinberg has the story.

The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations, a Montreal-based federation of professional associations, organizations, and guilds of air traffic control personnel, issued a statement, saying it was standing “in solidarity” with the air traffic controllers” involved in the tragedy.

The International Federation of Air Traffic Controllers’ Associations (IFATCA) extends its deepest condolences to all those affected by the tragic accident at Washington National Airport in Washington, DC.

We stand in solidarity with the air traffic controllers at the Washington National air traffic control tower, Potomac TRACON and the members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) during this difficult time. We acknowledge the immense challenges they face in the aftermath of such incidents and remain committed to providing support as needed throughout both the grieving process and the investigation.

As always, we urge the public to refrain from speculation. A thorough, independent investigation is essential to establishing the facts and identifying lessons that can enhance aviation safety. Preserving the integrity of this process is crucial to maintaining trust, accountability, and the highest standards of safety within the aviation community and across the aviation system.