A devastating mid-air collision between a commercial jet and a U.S. Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., has resulted in no survivors, authorities confirmed on Thursday. The tragic incident occurred late Wednesday night near Reagan National Airport, sending both aircraft plummeting into the icy waters of the Potomac River.
Rescue teams had been conducting an extensive search operation since the collision, hoping to find survivors, but DC Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly stated in a media briefing that their efforts had shifted from a rescue mission to a recovery operation. “We do not believe there are any survivors,” Donnelly announced, as divers continued working in near-freezing waters to retrieve bodies. The crash has left the aviation and military communities in shock, raising questions about airspace safety and procedural oversight.
The accident involved a Bombardier CRJ700, operated by PSA Airlines on behalf of American Airlines, which had originated from Wichita, Kansas. The aircraft was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members and was in the process of its descent when it collided with a U.S. Army Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter with three military personnel onboard. The helicopter was conducting a routine training flight, and military officials have confirmed that the crew was highly experienced. The collision occurred at approximately 9 p.m. on Wednesday night, just moments before the commercial flight was scheduled to land at Reagan National Airport.
Authorities have recovered 28 bodies from the American Airlines flight and one from the Black Hawk helicopter so far. The fuselage of the commercial jet was found in three large sections submerged in the Potomac River, and efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining victims. Emergency responders, including over 300 federal, state, and District of Columbia personnel, have been deployed to the site. Teams of divers have been working through the night under extreme conditions to retrieve victims and assess the wreckage. Helicopters with searchlights hovered over the river, while boats circled the crash site, assisting in recovery efforts.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that both the commercial jet and the military helicopter were flying in their designated flight paths, following standard procedures. “Everything was standard in the lead-up to the crash,” Duffy emphasized, pointing out that military aircraft frequently operate in close proximity to civilian flights near Reagan National Airport. However, he acknowledged that “something went wrong here.” The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an in-depth investigation into the incident, with a parallel inquiry being conducted by the Department of Defense.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom expressed his condolences and assured that the airline would cooperate fully with investigators. “We don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft,” he stated during a media briefing. He also reassured the public that the jet’s pilots were highly experienced and had followed all safety protocols.
The severity of the crash has led to an outpouring of grief and concern. US Figure Skating, the governing body for the sport, confirmed that several of its athletes, coaches, and family members were among the passengers aboard the American Airlines flight. They were returning from a training camp in Wichita. “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy,” the organization said in a statement, mourning the loss of those involved.
The scene of the crash quickly became a focal point of emergency response efforts. Sirens blared across Washington, D.C., as dozens of police vehicles rushed to secure the area. Both sides of the river near the crash site were cordoned off, while military and civilian helicopters patrolled the skies. Traffic was halted on surrounding roads, and all takeoffs and landings at Reagan National Airport were temporarily suspended. Officials later announced that flight operations would resume at 11 a.m. on Thursday.
The accident has sparked debate over airspace safety regulations, particularly regarding the coordination between civilian and military aircraft in restricted air corridors. U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the tragedy, expressing his condolences to the families affected and questioning how such an accident could have occurred. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that the crash was preventable and that more should have been done to avoid the tragedy. “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 was a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn?” Trump wrote. He also questioned why air traffic control had not intervened more assertively. “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!!!” he added.
The crash has had significant implications in the aviation industry, as well as the financial markets. Shares of major aviation and AI-related technology companies, including Nvidia, Microsoft, and Meta, saw declines in early trading on Monday morning amid concerns over potential fallout from the accident. European aviation stocks were also affected, with declines reported across major airline and aerospace companies. The incident has led to renewed discussions about the role of AI in aviation safety and whether technology could have played a role in preventing the collision.
Sikorsky, the manufacturer of the Black Hawk helicopter and a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin, released a statement saying, “We have offered our support to the investigation and our customer.” MHI RJ Aviation, which acquired the CRJ series from Bombardier in 2020, also extended condolences to the victims’ families and pledged its assistance in the investigation.
While fatal aviation accidents remain rare in the United States, this tragedy has drawn comparisons to previous incidents. The last major crash involving a U.S. commercial airline occurred in 2009 when a Colgan Air flight crashed near Buffalo, New York, killing 49 people. Wednesday’s collision has once again highlighted the importance of maintaining strict airspace coordination, particularly in congested flight corridors such as those near Washington, D.C.
Kansas Senator Jerry Moran, who had been instrumental in lobbying for the American Airlines flight route from Wichita to Reagan National, expressed his deep sorrow over the tragedy. “That flight has been in existence for about a year, and many in Wichita will know someone who was on board,” he said.
Investigators are now focused on determining the precise cause of the collision and whether procedural failures contributed to the disaster. Authorities will analyze flight data, air traffic control recordings, and witness statements to piece together the sequence of events leading up to the crash. Until then, the tragedy serves as a sobering reminder of the critical importance of air traffic management and aviation safety measures.
