Trump names acting FAA chief after fatal plane crash in Washington

US President blames tragedy on diversity hiring practices at aviation regulator

US President Donald Trump speaks after the fatal collision of a passenger airplane and a military helicopter. EPA

US President Donald Trump on Thursday appointed an acting administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration after a fatal mid-air crash involving a military helicopter and a passenger plane in Washington.

“I’m also immediately appointing an acting commissioner to the FAA, Christopher Rocheleau, a 22-year veteran of the agency, highly respected. Christopher, thank you very much, appreciate it,” Mr Trump said at the White House.

The American Airlines plane from Wichita, Kansas, was flying to Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport when it collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River. Mr Trump said there were no survivors.

Mr Rocheleau will replace Mike Whitaker, who resigned on January 20. Mr Whitaker announced his resignation in December, months after Tesla founder Elon Musk called for him to step down after the FAA proposed to fine SpaceX more than $600,000 for breaching licensing terms on two 2023 launches.

Many dead as US passenger plane collides with Black Hawk helicopter in Washington DC

00:53

The FAA administrator is a Senate-confirmed position and Mr Trump did not offer details about who he planned to permanently replace Mr Whitaker. Whoever it is will be responsible for the response to the crash.

The FAA, along with the National Transport Security Board and the US military, will be conducting what Mr Trump called a “systemic and comprehensive investigation” of the incident.

He used the news briefing on the fatal crash to attack the FAA over diversity, equity and inclusion standards at the agency. Last week, he signed an executive order to immediately end DEI programmes at the regulator.

“This was a dark and excruciating night in our nation's capital and in our nation's history,” Mr Trump said before launching into criticisms of Democratic administrations for diversifying the workforce.

“A group within the FAA determined that the workforce was too white, then they had concerted efforts to get the administration to change that and to change it immediately."

He also accused former transport secretary Pete Buttigieg of running the FAA “right into the ground with his diversity”.

The FAA became a target of Republican condemnation last year after a door panel blew off a Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft during an Alaska Airlines flight. Mr Whitaker acknowledged the FAA was “too hands-off” before the incident and vowed to increase its oversight.