Arlington, Jan 31: A midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft late Wednesday, officials confirmed Thursday. The crash occurred in the Potomac River, near Ronald Reagan National Airport, just south of Washington, D.C., marking the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster in nearly 25 years.
The American Airlines Bombardier CRJ-700, which was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, collided with the helicopter, which had three soldiers aboard. At least 28 bodies were recovered from the icy waters of the Potomac, and recovery efforts continued Thursday as officials combed the wreckage.
The crash took place just after 9 p.m. in one of the most tightly controlled airspaces in the world, near the White House and the U.S. Capitol. Investigators are examining the actions of the military pilot and air traffic control procedures. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the jet for analysis.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom stated that the plane was making a normal approach when the helicopter “came into the path” of the jet. Authorities are focusing on air traffic management issues, including staffing configurations at the time of the crash. The FAA had combined air traffic controller positions earlier than usual to manage less traffic at night, though some experts say this was standard procedure for the time of day.
President Donald Trump expressed his condolences in a news conference and acknowledged the “hour of anguish” for the nation. While offering support to the families of the victims, Trump also pointed to broader criticisms of the FAA’s diversity and inclusion efforts, though no direct link between these policies and the crash has been established.
The crash marks the deadliest aviation accident since 2001. The incident has left both local residents in shock and the city of Wichita, Kansas, devastated, where many of the passengers were from, including a group of young figure skaters.
Air travel experts have reiterated that commercial flight remains one of the safest forms of travel, but the crash highlights the dangers in high-traffic airspaces, especially near major government landmarks. Investigations are ongoing, with authorities hoping to determine the precise cause of the collision.
