Tragic Midair Collision Near D.C. Airport Involves American Airlines Jet and Blackhawk Helicopter
An American Airlines flight collided with a Blackhawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport, with the plane falling into the Potomac River.
In a shocking turn of events, a commercial airplane collided midair with a Blackhawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night. The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. as the American Airlines flight, operated by PSA Airlines, was making its approach to land.
While no fatalities have been reported at this time, the crash could mark one of the most significant disasters in U.S. airspace in over 15 years. A webcam near the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts captured footage of a small aircraft, believed to be the helicopter, striking the passenger jet, followed by a sudden explosion. Radar tracking suggests that the aircraft fell into the Potomac River shortly after the collision.
The flight, American Airlines Flight 5342, had departed from Wichita, Kansas, and was attempting to land on Runway 33 at Reagan airport. The passenger jet, a Bombardier CRJ-700, typically carries up to 70 passengers, with a crew of two pilots and two flight attendants.
DC Fire and EMS confirmed that the small aircraft crashed into the Potomac River near the airport, prompting a swift response from emergency personnel, including helicopters and fireboats, to search for survivors.
The airspace around Reagan National is notoriously complex, with challenging approaches for incoming flights and heavy air traffic from police and military helicopters operating in the vicinity. The last major commercial airline disaster in the U.S. occurred in 2009 when a Colgan Air flight crashed near Buffalo, killing 50 people.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the collision, and more updates are expected as the situation unfolds.
