Authorities arrested two airport workers for taking unauthorized video files of last week’s deadly airplane and helicopter collision near the Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The men are charged with computer trespass for allegedly copying the video without authorization. The allegedly stolen video was later obtained by CNN and broadcast on-air as part of its coverage of the incident.
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Two airport authority workers arrested for allegedly leaking DC plane crash video to CNN https://t.co/uTvfZwhneB pic.twitter.com/87IyXrRiae
— New York Post (@nypost) February 3, 2025
Several posters were confused as to where the crash video originated.
I haven’t questioned anything until now, but why would they arrest employees for filming a crash? Is this real?
— The App Engineer (@theappengineer) February 4, 2025
They didn’t film it, they stole it and that’s why they were arrested.
— MindaJane (@mindajane0507) February 4, 2025
This wasn’t cell phone video or from a personal camera. Per authorities, it was from airport cameras and then copied from a computer before being made public.
Unauthorized release of airport camera video. Government computer use violation.
Cause for dismissal and possibly criminal.
New FAA sheriff. 💯 agree with the crackdown on leakers!!
This video will be discussed in the NTSB 30 day report. No being “covered up”.— Storm (@stormisacoming) February 4, 2025
The employees didn’t film it. They stole the videos and released them to CNN. That’s a crime.
— Shreve (@shrevepioneer) February 4, 2025
They did not arrest them for filming on their own phone. They arrested them for accessing a computer system and making it unauthorized copy of it and then leaking it.
— TheNightAgent (@Booboothafool4u) February 4, 2025
Per The New York Post, the men were charged with misdemeanors.
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The video is the clearest of all the images released so far. It only adds to more speculation about how and why the mid-air collision happened.
It looks like the helicopter made a beeline for the plane
— John (@johnEiid) February 4, 2025
It’s hard to tell exactly with the depth perception.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 4, 2025
That looks intentional, depth perception or not.
— L (@LisHeretic) February 4, 2025
Investigators have not assigned fault in the crash.
As with any unusual event with little public information, theories are forming.
The authorities didn’t want us seeing this video for some reason.
— George (@BehizyTweets) February 4, 2025
They seem more concerned about the video being viewed than the actual events that led to the incident.
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 4, 2025
The two men charged for the video have been released. The NTSB is still investigating the crash to determine how it happened.
