Reagan Airport has 3 runways.
4-22
33-15
1-19
The CRJ / #5432, may have been initially assigned 1-19, but because another flight was taking off southbound - using 1-19, was reassigned to land on 33-15. Not a big deal.
However, a helo was barreling down on the airspace, and misinterpreted the tower’s warning, confusing an aircraft that took off for the one that was inbound from Wichita, Kansas.
Sadly = BOOM!
There was no way an aircraft was taking off southbound with the winds that day.
This explanation you just posted appears to be what actually happened.
“confusing an aircraft that took off for the one that was inbound”
The pilot analysts I’ve watched think he confused two inbound aircraft. The CRJ pilot wouldn’t have seen the landing lights on the departing aircraft. But they were stacked up inbound.
Or confusing the one landing which was ahead,of the one it collided with. Omitted the obligatory “at 11 o’clock 1 mile” or whatever. Said ‘do you see the xyx. Which is useless at night. imo.