Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 5:50AM |  10°
MENU
Advertisement
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - JANUARY 30: (EDITORS NOTE: Image contains graphic content) Emergency response teams including Washington, DC Fire and EMS, DC Police and others, assess airplane wreckage in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. An American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas collided with a helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
16
MORE

Passenger jet with 64 aboard collides with Army helicopter while landing at Reagan Airport near D.C.

Andrew Harnik / Getty Images

Passenger jet with 64 aboard collides with Army helicopter while landing at Reagan Airport near D.C.

The crash prompted a large search-and-rescue operation in the Potomac River

ARLINGTON, Va. — An American Airlines jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with an Army helicopter while landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, prompting a large search-and-rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River. There were multiple fatalities, according to a person familiar with the matter, but the precise number of victims was unclear as rescue crews hunted for any survivors.

Three soldiers were onboard the helicopter, an Army official said.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the Wednesday collision, but all takeoffs and landings from the airport were halted as dive teams scoured the site and helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region flew over the scene in a methodical search for bodies.

Advertisement
Image DescriptionCLICK TO ENLARGE

Images from the river showed boats around the partly submerged wing and what appeared to be the mangled wreckage of the plane's fuselage.

Emergency response units searched the crash site of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after the plane crashed on approach to Reagan National Airport on January 30, 2025, in Arlington, Virginia.
Campbell Robertson, Mitch Smith, Sydney Ember And Emily Steel
Control tower staffing was 'not normal' during deadly crash, FAA report says

“We are going to recover our fellow citizens,” District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a somber news conference at the airport in which she declined to say how many bodies had been recovered.

Midair collision between passenger jet and Army helicopter

A regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, crashed into a military Blackhawk helicopter while on approach to a runway at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C., around 9 p.m. Wednesday.

The person who told The Associated Press that there had been multiple deaths was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said, “When one person dies it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die it’s an unbearable sorrow.”

Advertisement

President Donald Trump said he had been “fully briefed on this terrible accident" and, referring to the passengers, added, “May God Bless their souls.”

Passengers on the flight included a group of figure skaters, their coaches and family members who were returning from a development camp that followed the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita.

“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement.

Two of those coaches were identified by the Kremlin as Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed twice in the Olympics. The Skating Club of Boston lists them as coaches and their son, Maxim Naumov, is a competitive figure skater for the U.S.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the midair crash occurred before 9 p.m. EST when a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military helicopter on a training flight while on approach to an airport runway. It occurred in some of the most tightly controlled and monitored airspace in the world, just over three miles south of the White House and the Capitol.

Investigators will try to piece together the aircrafts' final moments before their collision, including contact with air traffic controllers as well as a loss of altitude by the passenger jet.

American Airlines Flight 5342 was inbound to Reagan National at an altitude of about 400 feet and a speed of about 140 miles per hour when it suffered a rapid loss of altitude over the Potomac River, according to data from its radio transponder. The Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine jet, manufactured in 2004, can be configured to carry up to 70 passengers.

A few minutes before landing, air traffic controllers asked the arriving commercial jet if it could land on the shorter Runway 33 at Reagan National and the pilots said they were able. Controllers then cleared the plane to land on Runway 33. Flight tracking sites showed the plane adjust its approach to the new runway.

President Donald Trump speaks about the midair crash between American Airlines flight 5342 and a military helicopter over the Potomac River during a press conference at the Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington on Jan. 30, 2025.
ZEKE MILLER and CHRIS MEGERIAN
Trump consoles crash victims — then dives into politics with attack on diversity initiatives

Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asked the helicopter if it had the arriving plane in sight. The controller made another radio call to the helicopter moments later: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.” Seconds after that, the two aircraft collided.

The plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting about 2,400 feet short of the runway, roughly over the middle of the river.

Video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Center showed two sets of lights consistent with aircraft appearing to join in a fireball.

“I know that flight. I've flown it several times myself,” said Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas. He said he expected that many people in Wichita would know people who were on the flight.

“This is a very personal circumstance,” he said.

The collision occurred on a warm winter evening in Washington, with temperatures registering as high as 60 degrees Fahrenheit, following a stretch days earlier of intense cold and ice. On Wednesday, the Potomac River was 36 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The National Weather Service reported that wind gusts of up to 25 mph were possible in the area throughout the evening.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed “deep sorrow” for the crash and said the company was focused on the needs of passengers, crew, first responders and families and loved ones of those involved.

Some 300 first responders were on scene. Inflatable rescue boats were launched into the Potomac River from a point along the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport, and first responders set up light towers from the shore to illuminate the area near the collision site. At least a half-dozen boats were scanning the water using searchlights.

“It’s a highly complex operation,” said D.C. fire chief John Donnelly. "The conditions out there are extremely rough for the responders.”

The U.S. Army described the helicopter as a UH-60 Blackhawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The helicopter was on a training flight. Military aircraft frequently conduct training flights in and around the congested and heavily-restricted airspace around the nation’s capital for familiarization and continuity of government planning.

The crash is serving as a major test for two of the Trump administration’s newest agency leaders. Pete Hegseth, sworn in days ago as defense secretary, posted on social media that an investigation has been “launched immediately” by the Army and the Defense Department. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, just sworn in earlier this week, said at a somber news conference at the airport early Thursday that his agency would provide all possible resources to the investigation.

The last major fatal crash involving a U.S. commercial airline occurred in 2009 near Buffalo, New York. Everyone aboard the Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane was killed, including 45 passengers, 2 pilots and 2 flight attendants. Another person on the ground also died, bringing the total death toll to 50. An investigation determined that the captain accidentally caused the plane to stall as it approached the airport in Buffalo.

Reagan Airport will reopen at 11 a.m. Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced. The FAA has previously said it would be closed until 5 a.m. Friday.

Located along the Potomac River, just southwest of the city. Reagan National is a popular choice because it’s much closer than the larger Dulles International Airport, which is deeper in Virginia.

Depending on the runway being used, flights into Reagan can offer passengers spectacular views of landmarks like the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol. It’s a postcard-worthy welcome for tourists visiting the city.

The collision recalled the crash of an Air Florida flight that plummeted into the Potomac on January 13, 1982, that killed 78 people. That crash was attributed to bad weather.

First Published: January 30, 2025, 2:54 a.m.
Updated: January 30, 2025, 11:29 a.m.

RELATED
Six white roses and photographs of victims are displayed at The Skating Club of Boston in Norwood, Mass., on Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025.
The Associated Press
Teens from a Boston skating club, their mothers, and coaches among passengers killed in air crash
The wreckage of Continental flight 3407 lies amid smoke at the scene after crashing into a suburban Buffalo, N.Y., home and erupting into flames Feb. 12, 2009.
The Associated Press
Here are some of the deadliest plane crashes in US history
Comments Disabled For This Story
Partners
Advertisement
Traffic passes by U.S. Steel in Braddock on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. An activist investor has accused U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt of potential insider trading as the group pressures investors to support its own plan for the iconic Pittsburgh steelmaker, which includes a new board and abandoning a planned merger with Japan’s Nippon Steel.
1
business
Ancora launches ‘Make U.S. Steel Great Again’ campaign, accuses CEO of insider trading
Gov. Josh Shapiro is joined in the broadcast booth by Curtis Aiken before the start of Pitt-Syracuse on Tuesday night at Petersen Events Center.
2
sports
Governor Josh Shapiro aims to make Pennsylvania 'compete' in NIL, bring 'stability' to transfer portal
The WPIAL basketball playoffs are underway.
3
sports
WPIAL boys basketball playoffs: Down go the Highlanders, all the way out of PIAA playoffs
President Donald Trump listens as Elon Musk speaks in the Oval Office at the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
4
news
McCormick on board with Trump, DOGE shakeup while Fetterman blasts 'chaos, confusion'
Head coach Mike Tomlin and offensive coordinator Arthur Smith watch a receivers and defensive backs drill at Steelers Minicamp at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex Thursday, June 13, 2024.
5
sports
Gerry Dulac: Next season’s major decisions loom this week for Mike Tomlin, Steelers staff
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - JANUARY 30: (EDITORS NOTE: Image contains graphic content) Emergency response teams including Washington, DC Fire and EMS, DC Police and others, assess airplane wreckage in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. An American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas collided with a helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)  (Andrew Harnik / Getty Images)
TOPSHOT - Part of the wreckage is seen as rescue boats search the waters of the Potomac River after a plane on approach to Reagan National Airport crashed into the river near Washington, DC, on January 30, 2025. A regional jet from Kansas crashed into Washington's Potomac River after colliding mid-air with a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport, officials said January 29, prompting a major emergency response and grounding all flights. (Photo by Andrew CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)  (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images)
A helicopter uses its searchlight as it flies above the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Arlington, Va.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
An American Airlines plane is parked at a gate at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Arlington, Va.  (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Emergency response units conduct search and rescue operations in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. Early reports indicate a helicopter and airplane collided near Reagan National Airport.  (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Emergency equipment stages at Gravelly Point, north of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, along the Potomac River, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Arlington, Va.  (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Lights from emergency vehicles and boats are seen near Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC, after an air crash near the Potomac River on January 29, 2025. Multiple crews were responding Wednesday after an "apparent air crash" in the Potomac River in Washington, with Reagan National Airport reporting closed runways due to an ongoing emergency.  (TING SHEN/AFP via Getty Images)
A view of emergency response looking from Arlington, Va., south of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, across the Potomac River toward the District of Columbia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
TOPSHOT - Rescue boats search the waters of the Potomac River after a plane on approach to Reagan National Airport crashed into the river outside Washington, DC, January 30, 2025. A regional jet from Kansas crashed into Washington's Potomac River after colliding mid-air with a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport, officials said January 29, prompting a major emergency response and grounding all flights. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)  (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - JANUARY 29: Emergency response units assemble on the tarmac as search and rescue operations are underway in the Potomac River at Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on January 29, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. An American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas collided with a helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan National Airport. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)  (Win McNamee / Getty Images)
A rescue boat searches the waters of the Potomac River after a plane on approach to Reagan National Airport crashed into the river outside Washington, DC, January 29, 2025. A regional jet from Kansas crashed into Washington's Potomac River after colliding mid-air with a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport, officials said January 29, prompting a major emergency response and grounding all flights. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)  (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images)
First responders are seen at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Arlington, Va.  (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
A view of emergency response looking from Arlington, Va., south of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, across the Potomac River toward the District of Columbia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Rescue boats work the scene on the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Arlington, Va.  (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Two rescue boats pull debris in the water after an air crash over the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC, on January 29, 2025. A passenger jet from Kansas crashed into Washington's Potomac River after colliding mid-air with a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport, officials said Wednesday, prompting a major emergency response and grounding all flights.  (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
Boats work the scene on the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, in Arlington, Va.  (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Andrew Harnik / Getty Images
Advertisement
LATEST news
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story