Washington D.C., January 30, 2025 — A horrifying mid-air collision occurred on Wednesday night between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and plummeted into the Potomac River with the biggest search-and-rescue operation on hand.
The FAA described the PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 as American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, with final approach to runway 33 at approximately 9 p.m. ET when it crashed into a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The passenger jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members: a total of 64 passengers on board. The helicopter has been identified as an Army Black Hawk, according to defense officials.
Immediate Aftermath
Following the collision, both planes cart-wheeled into the icy waters of the Potomac. Washington D.C. Fire and EMS, D.C. Police, and the U.S. Coast Guard were called to action almost immediately to rescue the victims. By early Thursday morning, searchers had reportedly recovered at least 19 bodies, including the two so-called “black boxes,” which are actually both data recorders.
Challenges in Rescue Operations
In extremely trying conditions confronted by rescue teams, the water temperature was below freezing, with ice present in the river, while nighttime lows had sunk beneath 30° F (-1° C). Roughly 300 first responders toiled against darkness, cold, and treacherous, ice-ridden waters.
At a briefing Thursday, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly stressed the danger of recovery operations saying, “The water that we’re operating in is about eight feet deep. There is wind; there are pieces of ice out there. So it’s just dangerous and hard to work in.”
Eyewitness Accounts
As local resident Jimmy Mazeo told someone of the accident, he could not believe it himself when he described, “It looked just white flares threw the sky.” At first, he thought the incident was a natural occurrence, but he realized the actual findings when he saw that various fire trucks were rushing to the scene. Another witness, Ari Schulman, said he was driving on the George Washington Parkway and saw the planes collide and the disaster response systems’ operations afterwards.
Investigation Underway
The NTSB started taking the lead in supervising the investigation. Preliminary air traffic control radio conversations revealed that the passenger plane had received clearance to land minutes before the accident but that the helicopter had yet to respond despite several warnings. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy assured his department would “provide all support necessary in the ongoing investigation process and rescue efforts.”
Impact on Air Travel
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was closed after the collision and all flights were grounded. A Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesman said it would remain closed until late Thursday morning and that normal operations were expected to resume around 11 am. Passengers are being directed to check on their airline flight updates.
Community and National Response
The tragedy itself has brought various reactions. According to American Airlines CEO Robert Isom, the company is “whole-heartedly cooperating” with the NTSB investigation. Commenting on the tragic incident, former President Donald Trump suggested that the incident “should have been avoided” and raised questions on the circumstances leading to the collision.
Ongoing Efforts
Search and rescue operations will continue while authorities will seek to find survivors and recover the remaining victims. The challenging operation was aided by the coordination of different agencies. The investigation by the NTSB is expected to determine how the collision occurred and what measures can be taken to avert a similar event.
