
ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — A jet with 60 passengers and four crew members aboard collided Wednesday 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.
Join our WhatsApp groupSubscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
There was no immediate word on casualties or the cause of the collision, but all takeoffs and landings from the airport near Washington were halted as helicopters from law enforcement agencies across the region flew over the scene in search of survivors. Inflatable rescue boats were launched into the Potomac River from a point near the airport along the George Washington Parkway, just north of the airport.
I just saw a plane crash a few minutes ago at DCA. Early confirmation here: https://t.co/JwKCWPnZ3n
— Ari Schulman (@AriSchulman) January 30, 2025
President Donald Trump said he had been “fully briefed on this terrible accident” and, referring to the passengers, added, “May God Bless their souls.”
The Federal Aviation Administration said the midair crash occurred around 9 p.m. EST when a regional jet that had departed from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a military Blackhawk helicopter 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 was manufactured in 2004 and 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.
Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asks the helicopter if it has the arriving plane in sight. The controller makes another radio call to the helicopter moments later: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.” Seconds after that the two aircraft collide.
The plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting about 2,400 feet short of the runway, roughly over the middle of the river.
The tower immediately began diverting other aircraft from Reagan.
Video from an observation camera at the nearby Kennedy Center showed two sets of lights consistent with aircraft appearing to join in a fireball.
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 his department was “actively monitoring” the situation that involved an Army helicopter. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, just sworn in earlier this week, said in a social media post that he was “at the FAA HQ and closely monitoring the situation.”
Reagan National is located along the Potomac River, just southwest of the city. It’s 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 incident 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.
The last fatal crash involving a U.S. commercial airline occured 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.
Multiple helicopters, including those from the U.S. Park Police and the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and U.S. military, were flying over the scene of the incident in the Potomac River. D.C. Fire and EMS said on X that fireboats were on the scene.
DoD actively monitoring. Poised to assist if needed. Prayers for all involved. https://t.co/qoFy90q22K
— Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) January 30, 2025
We’re aware of reports that American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, with service from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been involved in an incident. We will provide information as it becomes available.
— americanair (@AmericanAir) January 30, 2025
Please say a prayer for everyone involved in the mid-air collision near Reagan airport this evening. We're monitoring the situation, but for now let's hope for the best.
— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 30, 2025
🚨BREAKING: American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas has crashed into a helicopter while landing at Reagan National Airport near Washington, DC#potomac #PotomacRiver pic.twitter.com/Ddq1qwa25S
— AJ Huber (@Huberton) January 30, 2025
I am on site at the FAA HQ and closely monitoring the situation. https://t.co/ztf2Dpqljq
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) January 30, 2025
I landed at DCA this evening at 8:42pm, IAH—DCA, minutes before an in-flight collision over the airport.
My thoughts are with all involved and their families. Hoping first responders find survivors.
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) January 30, 2025
Nine comments and not one of them intelligent.
People died and yet the internet jockeys want to make jokes and play politics.
Be a little empathetic.
I hope this isn’t a disgruntled armed forces pilot on a Jihad attack.
Hashem Yerachem. Lets hope there are some survivors.
I’m sure Pete Buttigieg will get to the bottom of this within the hour.
Wait a second , its not boeings fault? I thought every crash boeing fault because they not making them like they used to and mismanagement, so the media and all these stock analysts convinced everyone that the all these crashes is boeing fault
Reagan used to be National. Congress renamed it to make it just about impossible to close. It is located right downtown and largely serves congressmen and senators who use it to rush to and from their home districts. It is an accident waiting to happen.
Nothing like this ever happened when Biden was President.