ARLINGTON, Va. — A devastating midair collision involving an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter prompted an extensive search-and-rescue mission over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Wednesday. Officials reported multiple fatalities among the 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the commercial flight and the three Army personnel on the helicopter.
The accident occurred as Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ-701 arriving from Wichita, Kansas, was preparing to land at the airport, located just minutes south of central Washington D.C. The crash has triggered a pivotal investigation, with authorities pausing all flights to and from the airport to focus on the recovery efforts.
Responders, including 300 first responders and several boats, scoured the waters near the partly submerged aircraft wreckage. The search was hampered by strong winds and challenging conditions, with inflatables deployed in the frigid 36-degree river.
Mayor Muriel Bowser of Washington D.C. confirmed the severity of the event at a press conference, emphasizing the city’s commitment to a thorough recovery operation, though specific details on casualties were initially withheld.
At the heart of the tragedy were members of a figure skating team, returning from a development camp following the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Kansas. U.S. Figure Skating expressed its devastation over the incident, offering condolences to the victims’ families.
The American Airlines flight was redirected to a shorter runway just moments before the collision. Despite communications from air traffic controllers to the military helicopter regarding the proximity of the incoming jet, the two aircraft collided over the Potomac, less than 30 seconds after a final confirmation from the helicopter pilot.
The helicopter, identified as a UH-60 Blackhawk from Fort Belvoir, was on a routine training mission, a common practice given the strategic importance of the airspace surrounding the nation’s capital.
This catastrophic event poses a significant challenge to newly appointed leaders in the Trump administration, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy spearheading their respective departments’ responses to the crash. Both have assured the public of a thorough investigation and committed federal support to the ongoing operations.
The area has been no stranger to aerial disasters; the site of the crash evoked memories of the tragic Air Florida Flight 90 incident in 1982, when a plane crashed into the Potomac in wintry conditions, killing 78 people.
As Reagan National Airport is set to reopen, stakes remain high within the community and the aviation industry, which has not seen a fatal commercial airline crash in the United States since 2009 near Buffalo, New York. The NTSB, along with other investigative agencies, will be examining detailed transponder data and communications to discern the definitive cause of this latest disaster in one of the world’s most securely monitored airspaces.
This incident starkly highlights ongoing concerns regarding air traffic safety and the necessary protocols when directing both commercial and military aircraft in congested zones close to critical national landmarks.