An American Airlines regional jet carrying 64 people collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on Wednesday.
Thursday morning, emergency crews shifted their focus from rescue to recovery. D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly announced that no survivors were expected. We have recovered 27 people from the plane and one from the helicopter, he said during a press briefing.
Debris from both aircraft has been found, including the American Airlines fuselage, which broke into three sections. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy assured the public that the U.S. still has the world’s safest airspace. He acknowledged that something went wrong here but emphasized that both aircraft were following standard flight paths and that no communication failures had been reported.
The cause of the collision remains under investigation. Meanwhile, officials cleared the airport to reopen safely at 11 a.m. Thursday, according to Jack Potter, head of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.
American Eagle Flight 5342, operated by an American Airlines subsidiary, was flying from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., with 60 passengers and four crew members. The U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk was on a training exercise out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, when the crash occurred, according to a Defense Department statement shared by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The collision forced a ground stop at Reagan Washington National Airport, halting all flights. Among the passengers were figure skaters, coaches, and their families, returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita. Russian government officials confirmed that Russian skaters and other citizens were also on board.
President Donald Trump addressed the tragedy late Wednesday, thanking first responders and offering condolences. May God bless their souls, he said. By early Thursday, he called for answers, writing, “This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.”
The search and recovery effort continues, with 300 first responders working in below-freezing temperatures. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that U.S. Coast Guard resources were being deployed to assist. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation, with the NTSB leading the probe.
Reagan Washington National Airport, a major American Airlines hub, handles millions of passengers annually. It is known for having one of the busiest runways in the country, offering nonstop flights to 102 domestic and six international destinations.
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