A commercial jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members collided with an Army helicopter Wednesday night while attempting to land at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington, triggering an extensive search-and-rescue operation in the Potomac River.
Authorities have not yet confirmed casualties or the cause of the crash. In response, all flights at the airport were suspended, while law enforcement helicopters conducted aerial searches for survivors. Rescue boats were also deployed from a location along the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport.
President Donald Trump stated he had been "fully briefed on this terrible accident," and offered prayers for those on board, saying, "May God bless their souls."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported that the collision took place around 9 p.m. EST when a regional passenger jet arriving from Wichita, Kansas, struck a military Black Hawk helicopter while on final approach. The incident occurred in highly monitored airspace, approximately three miles south of the White House and the Capitol.
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Investigators are now working to reconstruct the final moments before the crash, examining air traffic control communications and flight data to determine what went wrong.
The aircraft involved was identified as American Airlines Flight 5342, a Canadian-built Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine jet, which was manufactured in 2004 and has a capacity of up to 70 passengers. Flight data indicates the plane was descending at approximately 400 feet and traveling at around 140 miles per hour over the Potomac River when it suddenly lost altitude.
Shortly before landing, air traffic controllers requested the crew to use the shorter Runway 33 at Reagan National. The pilots agreed, and the plane was cleared to land. Flight tracking data shows the aircraft adjusting its approach accordingly.
In the final moments before impact, an air traffic controller inquired whether the helicopter had visual contact with the approaching jet. Moments later, another transmission directed the helicopter, identified as "PAT 25," to pass behind the CRJ. Within seconds, the two aircraft collided.
The jet’s radio transponder stopped transmitting approximately 2,400 feet from the runway, directly above the Potomac River. Surveillance footage from a nearby camera at the Kennedy Center captured what appeared to be two sets of lights converging, followed by a fireball.
At the time of the accident, Washington was experiencing unseasonably warm weather, with temperatures reaching 60 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the Potomac River remained at a frigid 36 degrees, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The National Weather Service also noted wind gusts of up to 25 mph throughout the evening.
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The US Army identified the helicopter as a UH-60 Black Hawk from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with three soldiers onboard at the time of the crash.
The accident presents an early challenge for two recently appointed US officials. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who was sworn in only days ago, stated that his department was "actively monitoring" the situation. Meanwhile, newly appointed Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared that he was "at the FAA headquarters, closely monitoring developments."
Reagan National Airport, located along the Potomac River southwest of Washington, will remain closed until at least 5 am Friday. The airport is a preferred choice for travelers due to its proximity to the city, compared to Dulles International Airport, which is farther into Virginia.
Arriving flights at Reagan often offer passengers striking views of national landmarks, including the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and the US Capitol.
This incident is reminiscent of a previous crash involving an Air Florida flight that plunged into the Potomac River on January 13, 1982, killing 78 people. That disaster was attributed to severe weather conditions.
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The most recent fatal crash involving a US commercial airline occurred in 2009 near Buffalo, New York.
A Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane crashed, killing all 49 people onboard, including two pilots, two flight attendants, and 45 passengers. Additionally, one person on the ground was killed, bringing the total fatalities to 50. Investigators determined that the pilot had unintentionally caused the plane to stall while approaching Buffalo’s airport.