Airline executives have pushed the government to modernize air traffic control and alleviate congestion in some of the busiest air corridors in the U.S.

Wednesday night’s crash of an American Airlines commuter plane in Washington is one of the worst disasters for the Fort Worth-based airline in more than two decades.

Figure skaters and coaches returning from the national championships were aboard the American Airlines flight that collided with a Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport on Wednesday, the U.