A tragic midair collision occurred near Washington, D.C., when an American Airlines passenger plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed while the plane was preparing to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The accident resulted in both aircraft plunging into the Potomac River, leading to a major rescue operation.
On January 29, 2025, at approximately 9:00 PM local time, American Eagle flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ aircraft, collided with a Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter. The plane was traveling from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. The helicopter, on a training flight from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, had three soldiers on board. Eyewitnesses reported seeing a fireball in the sky before both aircraft fell into the freezing river. Air traffic controllers had asked the helicopter crew if they could see the incoming plane moments before the collision, but it is unclear whether the pilots had time to react.
Washington, D.C. Fire Chief John Donnelly described the search as highly complex, given the freezing water and difficult conditions. Rescue teams, including divers and inflatable boats, were deployed to search for survivors. So far, officials have recovered multiple bodies, but it is feared that there are no survivors. Several of the passengers on board were U.S. figure skaters returning from a competition. Russian state media reported that former figure skating world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were among the deceased. The three soldiers on the helicopter are also presumed dead. Authorities have yet to confirm an official death toll, but reports suggest that most, if not all, on board have perished.
A full investigation has been launched by the Department of Defense and aviation authorities. Some key factors being examined include pilot miscommunication, technical malfunctions, and air traffic control decisions. President Donald Trump criticized the helicopter crew’s actions, questioning why they did not adjust their flight path. The Pentagon has promised a thorough investigation to determine how such a collision occurred in a well-managed airspace. The airport remains closed as rescue and recovery operations continue. Officials are working to provide answers to grieving families and prevent future tragedies.
