Rescue workers are working after a military chopper and passenger plane collided. An eyewitness described the tragedy, including video evidence.
National attention was drawn to a jet crash near Washington, D.C., the worst commercial aviation disaster since 2009. Extreme cold may hamper rescue efforts, officials say.
American Airlines Flight 5342, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, crashed with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter at Reagan National Airport on January 29, 2025. The FAA said the plane was in route from Wichita, Kansas.
The jet was due to land about 9 p.m., but D.C. police received emergency calls at 8:53 p.m. reporting “an aircraft crash above the Potomac River.”
Defense authorities said the Black Hawk was training. The 12th Aviation Battalion at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, specializes in helicopter transport and technical rescue for the National Capital Region. However, the helicopter’s pre-crash departure position is unknown.
19 flights were diverted to Dulles International Airport after the tragedy. Reagan National is one of the busiest airspaces, thus coordination is key. Before the crash, air traffic officials told the helicopter to avoid the plane.
Air traffic controllers told the helicopter to pass behind the jet moments before the collision. Pilot verified visual contact and requested separation. The control tower’s horrified emotions as normal communication became calamity were recorded seconds later.
EarthCam footage shows the aircraft and chopper clashing in the skies before exploding.
Ari Schulman saw the plane’s dying moments while driving home after seeing the airborne collision on video.
At 120 feet over the ocean, the plane appeared to be flying normally as it approached land. Soon after, it banked abruptly beyond 90 degrees.
Schulman said, “I saw its underside. It was glowing golden and sparking below.” The sky darkened shortly after.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Reagan National Airport will remain closed until Friday at 5 a.m., with all flights suspended amid the investigation.
Emergency teams searched for survivors when the wreckage settled. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said “both aircraft are in the water” that 64 people were on the American Airlines plane and three on the military helicopter.
“The focus now is rescuing people, and that’s what all of our personnel are focused on,” she said, underlining the necessity of search and rescue. Families are in limbo as authorities have not confirmed any casualties.
Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority CEO Jack Potter said “there were people at the airport who were there to pick up loved ones.” He said families were led to the support center, where counselors could help.
Hamaad Raza lost contact with his wife shortly before the tragedy. “I’m just praying that someone is pulling her out of the river right now,” he said in an interview.
Several U.S. figure skaters and two Russian skaters were on board, reports said. Kansas Senator Jerry Moran termed the tragedy “a very personal circumstance” for his state, emphasizing the profound connections many had to the victims.
The National Transportation Safety Board will head the probe into recovery attempts and the ongoing investigation.
Rescuers worked against time, and footage showed their intensity. D.C. resident Abadi Ismail filmed helicopters searching for the accident scene above the Potomac River.
Ismail stated, “I heard two unusual bangs, something I’ve never heard of,” that “kind of sounded like a warzone.” He observed merely a hint of smoke when he ran to his window. The scene changed rapidly as search teams mobilized. “Rescue helicopters and boats have now lit up the area,” he said.
Search teams are laboring in dangerous conditions to find survivors while relatives wait. Nearly 300 first responders are negotiating darkness, heavy winds, and near-freezing conditions in the Potomac River, making rescues harder.
“Very complicated operation. D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly says conditions are difficult. Access to the site was difficult for crews, he said.
He reported that severe winds and drifting ice made the eight-foot-deep water dangerous to maneuver.
Hypothermia is likely in rivers near 35 F. Cold shock can produce gasping and hyperventilation in seconds and dexterity loss in three minutes.
The operation is urgent since unconsciousness may occur within 15 to 30 minutes and survival times range from 30 to 90 minutes.
The FBI’s Washington Field Office dive team and USERT personnel are searching the Potomac River in difficult conditions.
This is the first major U.S. commercial aircraft catastrophe since 2009’s Colgan Air Flight 3407 crash near Buffalo, killing 49.
Other deadly events include the 2013 Asiana Airlines crash in San Francisco, which killed three and injured almost 200, and a 2018 Southwest Airlines engine failure that killed a passenger.
Communities across the region are seeking comfort and solidarity after the catastrophe. The Wichita City Council Chambers will host a noon prayer vigil on January 30 to assist those affected. All community members are invited to pray and encourage each other.