American Airlines Jet Collides With Army Helicopter, Crashes Into River
A regional jet operated by American Airlines collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, officials confirmed.
American Eagle Flight 5342, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, was arriving from Wichita, Kansas city, when it struck a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter at approximately 9 p.m. ET according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The collision occurred at an altitude of around 300 feet as the jetliner approached Runway 33. The aircraft had a total of 64 persons on board (60 passengers and four crew members).
Following the collision, one of the aircraft was confirmed to have crashed into the Potomac River. Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene to help the victims.
“We are deeply concerned for the passengers and crew aboard Flight 5342,” American Airlines said in a statement.
“We are working closely with authorities and assisting emergency response efforts,” the airline added.
The American Airlines CEO Robert Isom announced that he would be traveling to Washington to assess the situation.
The U.S. Army also confirmed the involvement of its helicopter, stating that it was conducting a training flight from Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Officials have not yet provided details regarding casualties.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA have launched an investigation into the crash, while the Reagan National Airport was closed until at least 5 a.m. ET (11 a.m. GMT+1) on Thursday, according to the FAA.
The accident marks the first major commercial airline crash in the U.S. since February 2009, when Continental Flight 3407 crashed into a house near Buffalo, New York, killing all 49 people on board and one person on the ground.
Reacting to the incident via his Truth Social platform, President Donald Trump thanked the response team but said the accident could have been avoided.
“Thank you for the incredible work being done by our emergency teams.”
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time.
“It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane.
“This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!
The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) expressed condolences and pledged to assist the NTSB in its investigation. “We are shocked and saddened by the tragic accident at DCA tonight,” the union stated.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected,” they added.
The FAA remains without a permanent administrator following the resignation of Mike Whitaker on January 20, coinciding with the start of Trump’s presidency.
Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, sworn in just a day before the crash, has yet to comment.
Authorities are expected to release more details as the investigation progresses.
American Airlines Jet Collides With Army Helicopter, Crashes Into River is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
