The information was based on data recovered from the jet's flight data recorder that tracks the aircraft's movements, speed and other technical information. Just before impact, the crew aboard the American flight had a "verbal reaction,

Sixty passengers and four crew members from the plane and three Black Hawk helicopter personnel were killed, and a recovery mission is underway.

The soldiers on the helicopter that collided with an American Airlines jet on Wednesday night were from the 12th Combat Aviation Battalion based in Virginia.