Somber gathering on Runway 33 today. Dozens of loved ones of the 67 victims of the Potomac plane crash attending a memorial service at the river's Edge. Parents and children, siblings and spouses all in morning near the crash site of an army helicopter, an American Airlines Flight 5342. Tonight, officials laying out a plan to salvage the aircraft wreckage with a massive crane already in position on the water.

I think we've done everything to set the conditions for a successful lift starting tomorrow morning. Our goal is to really lift as much as we can, given the fact that we are also accounting for the human remains component.

This, as we learn new details about the plane's cockpit recording captured moments before the collision.

At 8: 47: 58, the crew had a verbal reaction.

Ntsb officials say the airplane crew heard directions to the chopper to pass behind them and tried to pull up at the last second.

Sounds of impact were audible about one second later, followed by the end of the recording.

Investigators have flight data and voice records from the regional jet. They also have data from Reagan National's control tower, one showing the collision at 325 feet, the other at 200. They still need to read the data from the helicopter recorder.

Between those three, whenever we have those data points finalized, we feel that we'll be very comfortable in saying exactly what altitude this occurred at.

We're also hearing more the soldiers killed in this tragedy. 28-year-old Staff Sergeant Ryan O'Hara, a Hilo repairman, had served since 2014. He leaves behind a wife and a one-year-old son. Our Priya Schraither spoke to his parents in Georgia.

It's just so surreal to see that I'm actually take that body bag out with the flag on it and officers all saluting and knowing my little boy is there.

And 28-year-old Captain Rebecca Loback from Durham, North Carolina, joined the army in 2019. Earlier this year, as a White House military social aid, she escorted Ralph Lauren as he received President Biden's Medal of Freedom Award.

She's constantly pushing herself to be better, to exceed the expectations, to exceed the standard.

Aaron is joining us now.

Aaron, we understand crews are expected to start pulling the wreckage out of the river tomorrow.

How long will that take? Halley, the Army Corps of Engineers says it should take about three days to remove the plane wreckage from the river. After that, they'll focus on removing the helicopter, ultimately turning everything over to the NTSB. Halley?

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