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.