A preliminary FAA report on the collision found that air traffic control tower staffing at Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) was “not normal” for the amount of air traffic and for the time of day, a source with knowledge of the situation told NBC News.

The tower typically has a controller that focuses specifically on helicopter traffic. But at the time of the crash last night, the source said, one controller at DCA was overseeing both airplane and helicopter activity.

"Not Normal" meaning it was probably a mentally-dysfunctional tranny watching over the traffic.

No wonder Trump focused in on the idiotic hiring guidelines put in place by Pete Butthead.

And the ATC was working both fixed wing and rotary aircraft at the same time. Usually they work one or the other.

You don't need to look at the pilots of the regional jet for blame. They and their passengers were all slaughtered by the negligence of others.

You should look at ATC and the pilot of the helicopter.

For the ATC:

• Why is the heli in the area of the final approach to a busy airport doing COG exercises?
• Why was the same ATC managing both plane and heli traffic?
• Why was the heli on the same altitude as the jet?
• Why did the ATC not notice the two converging headings and issue a diversion to the heli?

For the pilot of the heli:

• Did you not know that Reagan Airport is a busy airport and that you should be conducting your COG exercises far away from the busy landing corridor?
• It was a clear night, did you not see the jet lit up for landing? What on earth were you doing and what were you looking at?