Nearly 46 years ago, this disaster claimed the lives of 273 people, with 258 being passengers, 13 crew members, and 2 individuals on the ground.

American Airlines Flight 191 is seen plunging — the 1979 crash remains the deadliest aircraft accident in US history. | Credit: Michael Laughlin / Chicago Tribune / Tribune News Service via The Jan.

Before Wednesday’s crash near Washington, D.C., there had not been a fatal collision involving a commercial aircraft in the United States since 2009.

Data confirmed that the air traffic controller alerted the helicopter to the presence of the CRJ-700 about two minutes before the crash.