The Black Hawk military helicopter involved in Wednesday’s midair collision was training to evacuate government officials in the case of a catastrophic event when it crashed into an American Airlines regional passenger plane – creating a catastrophe of its own.

Diving crews are still searching the icy waters of the Potomac River looking to retrieve the bodies of all the people killed in this week’s plane and helicopter collision. Retired Black Hawk instructor pilot Martin Gottholm discusses the difficulties in flying at night for Black Hawk pilots and questions surrounding the altitudes of the aircrafts at the time.

A passenger jet and a Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair Wednesday and crashed into the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., officials said.

The Army’s Black Hawk helicopter was performing “doomsday” training when it collided with an American Airlines jet above Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, according to a new report. The helicopter was flying a route that’s part of a military plan to evacuate senior government officials to safety if the U.