An American Airlines regional jet collided with a U.S. Park Police helicopter above the Potomac River when the American Airlines jet was on approach into Washington’s Ronald Reagan National Airport. The aircraft, a CRJ-700 operated by regional carrier PSA Airlines with the tail number N709PS was operating as flight AA 5342 from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT).
AA 5342 was approaching Reagan National Airport from the south as it prepared to land on Runway 33. The Army Blackhawk helicopter was supposed to pass behind the American Eagle aircraft and had requested, and been granted, visual separation.
Reports show that the CRJ-700 aircraft had 64 souls on board, 60 passengers and 4 crew. The Pentagon confirmed that three U.S. Military personnel were onboard the Blackhawk. No survivors have been located from either aircraft. American Airlines issued the following statement in response to the incident.
We’re aware of reports that American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, with service from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been involved in an incident. We will provide information as it becomes available.
— americanair (@AmericanAir) January 30, 2025
American Airlines is providing updates on its website. If you believe you may have loved ones on board Flight 5342, call American Airlines toll-free at 800-679-8215. Flights will resume from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at 11:00a local time on Thursday January 30th.
FlightRadar24 and other aviation tracking services show the aircraft as having landed at the airport though this appears incorrect. The airplane appears to have crash landed into the Potomac River.
While no official numbers have been reported, emergency scanners are indicating this is a mass casualty event. Images from the crash site are beginning to surface and paint a grim picture of the state of the American Eagle aircraft.
This image is hard to even fathom. From @andyharnik pic.twitter.com/oPXMeTLX5V
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) January 30, 2025
The last major crash of a commercial airliner in the United States was the crash of Colgan Air Flight 3407 on February 12, 2009.
A camera from the Kennedy Center appears to have caught the moment that the two aircraft collided.
Webcam at the Kennedy Center caught an explosion mid-air across the Potomac. https://t.co/v75sxitpH6 pic.twitter.com/HInYdhBYs5
— Alejandro Alvarez (@aletweetsnews) January 30, 2025
ATC audio appears to capture gasps in the tower at the moment the collision occured before controllers sent other aircraft around.
Pulled the ATC audio around the time of the reported incident at DCA.
— Ryan Ewing (@FlyingHighRyan) January 30, 2025
You can hear the audible gasps in the tower. Controller then sent other traffic around.
Via @liveatc pic.twitter.com/aHbp5czPb9
The Federal Aviation Administration issued the following statement regarding the accident.
For more information, visit https://t.co/ECDOdj1kdr. pic.twitter.com/Z5vWq4vUJ2
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) January 30, 2025
This is a breaking story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Summary
An American Airlines regional jet has collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter while on final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). There were 64 souls on board the CRJ-700 operating as AA 5342 from Wichita, Kansas and 3 U.S. Military personnel onboard the Blackhawk.
(Image courtesy American Airlines)