A catastrophic midair collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter has left 67 people presumed dead after both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night.
A large-scale search-and-rescue mission, which mobilized more than 300 first responders, transitioned to a recovery operation early Thursday after officials determined there were no survivors. As of Thursday evening, 40 bodies had been recovered, with at least 14 individuals still missing.
The collision occurred around 9 p.m. ET when PSA Airlines, operating as American Airlines Flight 5342, was approaching its destination in Washington, D.C., from Wichita, Kansas. The Embraer regional jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. The Army helicopter, a UH-60 Black Hawk, had three soldiers on board and was conducting a training flight out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
Publicly available flight data suggests that the Black Hawk may have been flying above its permitted altitude before the collision. However, investigators have cautioned against drawing early conclusions as they piece together the sequence of events leading up to the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation and has already recovered both aircraft’s black boxes, which contain flight data and cockpit voice recordings. A preliminary report is expected within 30 days.
Aviation experts note that both civilian and military pilots operating in the D.C. area are accustomed to navigating the region’s complex and heavily controlled airspace. The head of the national air traffic controllers’ union has urged against speculation regarding the cause of the accident.
U.S. Figure Skating confirmed that several prominent athletes were aboard the flight, returning from a developmental camp in Wichita. Among those named as victims are Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, the 1994 world champions in pairs skating.
President Donald Trump addressed the tragedy on Thursday, confirming that no survivors had been found. However, his remarks also sparked controversy as he placed blame on Democratic policies without providing evidence.
Flights at Reagan National resumed operations by 11 a.m. ET Thursday, though recovery efforts in the Potomac River continue. Authorities are working to locate the remaining victims and retrieve additional wreckage to assist in the investigation.
This disaster marks the deadliest U.S. air accident since 2001, prompting renewed discussions about airspace safety and military-civilian coordination in shared flight zones.