Plane crash details: Here’s what we know about the fatal collision between American Airlines flight and military helicopter
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The skies above the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., became the scene of a devastating tragedy when an American Airlines regional jet and a Black Hawk military helicopter collided midair on a clear Wednesday night.
The incident, which resulted in an unexpected devastation for passengers and crew aboard the commercial flight and three crew members of the military helicopter, has left the nation in shock and mourning.
At present, the story is still developing, but here’s what we know so far.
Sean Duffy, the newly appointed Secretary of Transportation, addressed the nation, stating that the collision was “absolutely” preventable.
The crash, which is the first major US air disaster–since the Colgan Air Crash near Buffalo, New York–in nearly 16 years, occurred as Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, was making its standard final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Duffy also mentioned, during a news conference, that the skies were clear in the airport and the final runway approach of Flight 5342 was “standard”.
"Obviously, it is not standard to have aircraft collide. I want to be clear on that," Duffy stated. "But prior to the collision, the flight paths that were being flown from the military and from American, that was not unusual for what happens in the D.C. airspace."

President Donald Trump, expressing his concerns on his Truth Social platform, questioned the actions of the control tower and the helicopter's crew on the night of the tragedy.
"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!!!," Trump posted.
Trump also called the accident a “tragedy of terrible proportions” and controversially linked the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to the crash.
However, Trump did mention that the cause of the crash is still under investigation and concluded that the DEI policies are liable for it because he has “common sense.”
Pete Hegeseth, Defense Secretary, was also present at the president’s press conference and said his condolences to the families of the victims, ensuring that the collision would be investigated.
"The military does dangerous things, it does routine things on a regular basis," Hegseth shared. "Tragically, last night a mistake was made."
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a comprehensive investigation into the collision, with Chair Jennifer Homendy assuring the public that no stone would be left unturned.
“...We're here to assure the American people that we are going to leave no stone unturned in this investigation. We are going to conduct a thorough investigation of this entire tragedy, looking at the facts.” she said.
Source: ABC News / Youtube.
Homendy also added that she has already informed President Trump and Vice President JD Vance regarding the crash.
Todd Inman, NTSB board member, shared that a preliminary report is expected within 30 days, aiming to understand not only what happened but why it happened, to prevent future tragedies.
"The loss of life in an aviation accident is very unusual in the United States and our heartfelt sorrow goes out to everyone that's affected. It affects us, it affects everyone around us,” Inman expressed. "We will find out what happened. We will do it factually and accurately.
LiveATC.net released a recording of the communications between air traffic control (ATC) and the Black Hawk helicopter, revealing that the military crew was aware of the approaching American Airlines plane.
ATC was heard in the recording wherein they asked the crew of the helicopter if the plane was visible. However, the reasons why the helicopter continued into the passenger plane's path remain under investigation.
"At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident," Fire Chief John Donnelly of the Washington, D.C. Fire Department said.
The American Airlines jet, operated by regional carrier PSA Airlines, was captained by a pilot with six years of experience, and the first officer had been with the airline for two years.
The Black Hawk helicopter was on a training mission from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and the crew was equipped with night vision goggles, though it is unclear if they were in use at the time of the crash.
The aftermath of the collision was captured by security video, showing the aircraft in pieces in the Potomac River, where first responders found no survivors.
The incident has deeply affected the communities connected to the victims, including Wichita, Kansas, where the flight originated, and the US Figure Skating community, which lost several members returning from a national event.
US Figure Skating issued a statement saying that "several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342," as per the statement obtained by ABC News.
Around 19 aircrafts that were in the air and about to land at the airport had to be diverted following the collision, according to Jack Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. They landed instead at Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
President Donald Trump stated that there were no survivors. Over 40 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River. The plane carried 64 people, while three soldiers were on the helicopter.
As the nation grapples with this catastrophe, the focus turns to the ongoing investigation and the search for answers.
The NTSB, along with military and FAA assistance, is working diligently to uncover the factors that led to this preventable disaster.
Source: FOX 32 Chicago.
"Absolutely tragic. Search and rescue efforts are still ongoing. Prayers for all impacted souls, and their families. Investigation launched immediately by Army & DoD," Hegseth posted on social media just after midnight ET Thursday.
The loss of life has resonated deeply, not only with the families and friends of the victims but with the entire country, as we collectively seek to understand and prevent such tragedies in the future.
The GrayVine community extends its deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragedy. We invite our readers to share their thoughts and support for the victims' families during this difficult time. Let us honor the memory of those lost by committing to the highest standards of safety in our skies.
The incident, which resulted in an unexpected devastation for passengers and crew aboard the commercial flight and three crew members of the military helicopter, has left the nation in shock and mourning.
At present, the story is still developing, but here’s what we know so far.
Sean Duffy, the newly appointed Secretary of Transportation, addressed the nation, stating that the collision was “absolutely” preventable.
The crash, which is the first major US air disaster–since the Colgan Air Crash near Buffalo, New York–in nearly 16 years, occurred as Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, was making its standard final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
Duffy also mentioned, during a news conference, that the skies were clear in the airport and the final runway approach of Flight 5342 was “standard”.
"Obviously, it is not standard to have aircraft collide. I want to be clear on that," Duffy stated. "But prior to the collision, the flight paths that were being flown from the military and from American, that was not unusual for what happens in the D.C. airspace."

A midair collision occurred between a regional American Airlines passenger jet and a Black Hawk military helicopter over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C. Image source: FOX 32 Chicago.
President Donald Trump, expressing his concerns on his Truth Social platform, questioned the actions of the control tower and the helicopter's crew on the night of the tragedy.
"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!!!," Trump posted.
Trump also called the accident a “tragedy of terrible proportions” and controversially linked the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to the crash.
However, Trump did mention that the cause of the crash is still under investigation and concluded that the DEI policies are liable for it because he has “common sense.”
Pete Hegeseth, Defense Secretary, was also present at the president’s press conference and said his condolences to the families of the victims, ensuring that the collision would be investigated.
"The military does dangerous things, it does routine things on a regular basis," Hegseth shared. "Tragically, last night a mistake was made."
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched a comprehensive investigation into the collision, with Chair Jennifer Homendy assuring the public that no stone would be left unturned.
“...We're here to assure the American people that we are going to leave no stone unturned in this investigation. We are going to conduct a thorough investigation of this entire tragedy, looking at the facts.” she said.
Source: ABC News / Youtube.
Homendy also added that she has already informed President Trump and Vice President JD Vance regarding the crash.
Todd Inman, NTSB board member, shared that a preliminary report is expected within 30 days, aiming to understand not only what happened but why it happened, to prevent future tragedies.
"The loss of life in an aviation accident is very unusual in the United States and our heartfelt sorrow goes out to everyone that's affected. It affects us, it affects everyone around us,” Inman expressed. "We will find out what happened. We will do it factually and accurately.
LiveATC.net released a recording of the communications between air traffic control (ATC) and the Black Hawk helicopter, revealing that the military crew was aware of the approaching American Airlines plane.
ATC was heard in the recording wherein they asked the crew of the helicopter if the plane was visible. However, the reasons why the helicopter continued into the passenger plane's path remain under investigation.
"At this point, we don't believe there are any survivors from this accident," Fire Chief John Donnelly of the Washington, D.C. Fire Department said.
The American Airlines jet, operated by regional carrier PSA Airlines, was captained by a pilot with six years of experience, and the first officer had been with the airline for two years.
The Black Hawk helicopter was on a training mission from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and the crew was equipped with night vision goggles, though it is unclear if they were in use at the time of the crash.
The aftermath of the collision was captured by security video, showing the aircraft in pieces in the Potomac River, where first responders found no survivors.
The incident has deeply affected the communities connected to the victims, including Wichita, Kansas, where the flight originated, and the US Figure Skating community, which lost several members returning from a national event.
US Figure Skating issued a statement saying that "several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342," as per the statement obtained by ABC News.
Around 19 aircrafts that were in the air and about to land at the airport had to be diverted following the collision, according to Jack Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority. They landed instead at Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
President Donald Trump stated that there were no survivors. Over 40 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River. The plane carried 64 people, while three soldiers were on the helicopter.
As the nation grapples with this catastrophe, the focus turns to the ongoing investigation and the search for answers.
The NTSB, along with military and FAA assistance, is working diligently to uncover the factors that led to this preventable disaster.
Source: FOX 32 Chicago.
"Absolutely tragic. Search and rescue efforts are still ongoing. Prayers for all impacted souls, and their families. Investigation launched immediately by Army & DoD," Hegseth posted on social media just after midnight ET Thursday.
The loss of life has resonated deeply, not only with the families and friends of the victims but with the entire country, as we collectively seek to understand and prevent such tragedies in the future.
Key Takeaways
- A midair collision occurred between a regional American Airlines passenger jet and a Black Hawk military helicopter over the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., resulting in no reported survivors.
- Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy stated the tragedy was “absolutely” preventable and investigations into the cause of the collision are underway.
- President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth both addressed the collision publicly, with Trump criticizing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the FAA, and Hegseth expressing condolences and noting the initiation of an investigation.
- The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has started a thorough investigation into the incident, aiming to complete a preliminary report within 30 days, while air traffic control recordings raise questions about the events leading up to the crash.
The GrayVine community extends its deepest condolences to all those affected by this tragedy. We invite our readers to share their thoughts and support for the victims' families during this difficult time. Let us honor the memory of those lost by committing to the highest standards of safety in our skies.