Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was on a 'proficiency training flight'

The Black Hawk helicopter that collided with a commercial jet near Reagan Washington National Airport had taken off from Davison Army Airfield at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, about 15 miles southwest of the airport, authorities said Thursday.

Military spokesman Ron McLendon II said the Army is joining an investigation into the crash headed by the National Transportation Security Board. The Army describes the UH-60 Black Hawk as a "utility tactical transport helicopter" that has improved military mobility of the Army because of improvements in troop capacity and cargo capability.

The helicopter was on an “annual proficiency training flight” when it crashed, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a video statement posted to X on Thursday morning.

The crew was “fairly experienced,” and was conducting a night evaluation, Hegseth said. Night goggles were on board.

The helicopters are built by Maryland-based Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. They feature twin engines and a single 4-bladed rotor, according to military.com. The Wall Street Journal reported that the helicopter had two seats for pilots, eight seats for passengers and a gold top usually use for VIPs ? but cited a Defense officials saying no senior U.S. officials were among the three people aboard.

The helicopter was from the Army's Bravo Company, of the 12th Aviation Battalion, McLendon said. Officials told Reuters helicopter flights had been paused for the Army unit involved in the collision.

Live update on tragedy: Officials believe there are no survivors in plane crash near DC

'Nothing unusual' before crash

The helicopter that was on a training flight when the collision took place shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday. Both the jet and the helicopter were taking a “standard flight pattern,” Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said Thursday.

"This was not unusual, with a military aircraft flying the river and aircraft landing at DCA," Duffy said.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said at a briefing Thursday that few details about the crash were available. American Eagle Flight 5342 was operated by PSA Airlines, an Ohio-based regional subsidiary of American Airlines. The plane was a CRJ-700 made by Bombardie.

“We don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft,” Isom said.

The Army helicopter that crashed into an American Airlines plane on Wednesday night was on an “annual proficiency training flight” when it crashed, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a video statement posted to X on Thursday morning.

The crew was “fairly experienced,” and was conducting a night evaluation, Hegseth said. Night goggles were on board.

Start your day smart: Sign up for USA TODAY's Daily Briefing newsletter.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Army Black Hawk helicopter was on a 'proficiency training flight'