On Wednesday evening, a frightening mid-air collision took place near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in D.C. An American Airlines regional flight carrying 64 people crashed into a helicopter while both were nearing Runway 33 around 9 p.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed the incident involved a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet and a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter, which CNN and The New York Times later identified as an Army Black Hawk helicopter.
The American Airlines flight, Flight 5342, had just taken off from Wichita, Kansas, and was making its approach to Washington D.C. No official information has been given about casualties yet, but multiple agencies have joined the search and rescue operation in the Potomac River.
In response to the collision, Reagan National Airport halted all flights in and out of the airport while emergency teams worked to manage the situation. The airport’s terminal remains open, but all takeoffs and landings are temporarily suspended.
Authorities, including the Metropolitan Police Department and D.C. Fire and EMS, are on the scene, and fireboats are stationed on the river. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the incident, with the NTSB leading the probe.
Politicians, including President Trump, have been briefed on the situation, and Vice President J.D. Vance shared a message of hope, asking for prayers for those involved in the crash. Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth stated his department is closely following the situation. As this story develops, more details are expected to emerge.
