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Pentagon orders 48-hour flight pause for involved unit

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Black Hawk collided with passenger jet near Washington, no

survivors

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Investigation to determine aircraft's position and

altitude

By Phil Stewart, Idrees Ali

WASHINGTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. Army helicopter

involved in an overnight collision with a passenger jet near

Washington involved a "fairly experienced crew" that was

operating with night vision goggles, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete

Hegseth said on Thursday, as the Pentagon ordered a 48-hour

pause in flying for the unit involved in the crash.

A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American

Airlines ( AAL ) passenger jet on Wednesday night near Ronald Reagan

Washington National Airport, with both aircraft plunging into

the Potomac River. The military helicopter was on a training

flight, but it is unclear what caused the crash. Authorities

have said there were no survivors.

In a video statement, Hegseth said that the crew of three

soldiers was on an annual proficiency training flight.

"We anticipate that the investigation will quickly be able

to determine whether

the aircraft

was in the corridor and at the right altitude at the time

of the incident," Hegseth said.

The helicopter from the 12th Aviation Battalion, based at

Fort Belvoir in Virginia, would be grounded for 48 hours,

Hegseth said. The unit is responsible for helicopter flights in

the Washington D.C. area.

Reuters was first to report on the operational pause.

One official said that other helicopters, like those from

the National Guard, will still be allowed to help in recovery

efforts, the official added.

Military helicopters are a common sight around the U.S.

capital region that is home to numerous military bases. It is

not uncommon for the military to order pauses after accidents or

crashes.