Report: Copter fell at rate of 2 miles a minute before Williamsburg crash

By The Associated Press
July 26, 2018 | 3:04 PM

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) — A preliminary investigation suggests that a helicopter fell at a rate of two miles per minute before crashing in Virginia.

The crash killed the pilot and a woman living in a condominium in Williamsburg on July 8. The Daily Press reported Wednesday that the National Transportation Safety Board released its preliminary findings July 20.

The report said 85-year-old pilot Henry Schwarz took off from Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport and reached an altitude of 1,700 feet before plunging downward.

Witnesses said the aircraft flew at a low altitude before crashing in the condo, killing 91-year-old Jean Lonchak Danylko.

The aircraft was last inspected in August and received an oil change in January. The fuel tanks were full. Schwarz was also an experienced pilot.

A final report is expected in 12 to 24 months.

Trump announces a $22.5B makeover of Dulles airport that will eliminate the ‘people movers’

By The Associated Press
July 29, 2026 | 6:40 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a $22.5 billion renovation of Washington Dulles International Airport that will end the use of the widely disliked “people movers,” the mobile lounges that have been used for decades to shuttle travelers to and from the main terminal. In place of the people movers, the airport will add a new U-shaped passenger train, a central walking tunnel, more moving walkways and new concourses. An above-ground parking garage closer to the main terminal with space for 32,000 vehicles is also in the offing, according to Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The airport makeover would add to a long list of renovation projects the Republican president is pursuing to leave a lasting mark on the Washington region after his term ends in January 2029. Among other undertakings, he is building a new White House ballroom and wants to build a towering triumphal arch near the Lincoln Memorial. But of all the construction projects Trump is pursuing, the renovations at Dulles could prove to be his most popular and benefit the greatest number of people. The airport, the area’s primary international airport, served roughly 29 million passengers over the past year, according to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

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