On Wednesday (Jan. 29) evening, a catastrophic midair collision occurred near Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport involving an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. According to CNN, the plane was landing from Wichita, KS, when it collided with the military aircraft, which was conducting a training exercise out of Fort Belvoir, VA. The impact sent both vehicles plummeting into the Potomac River.
Emergency crews from all over the region responded. “We are now at a point where we’re switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation. At this point, we don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident,” stated D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly. Authorities confirmed that all 67 people on board – 64 from the passenger jet and three from the helicopter – were presumed dead. By Thursday (Jan. 30) morning, 28 bodies were recovered. The FBI’s Underwater Search and Evidence Response Team also joined the efforts while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently leading the investigation.
At a press briefing, officials attempted to determine the cause of the disaster. American Airlines CEO Robert Isom stated, “At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the [plane].” Newly sworn-in Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy explained how both flights were following “a standard flight pattern.” “This was a clear night last night... If you live in the D.C. area, you will see helicopters up and down the river,” he added.
President Donald Trump weighed in on Truth Social, calling the incident “a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.” He questioned air traffic control’s response, writing, “The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT [and] the lights on the plane were blazing. Why didn’t the helicopter go up or down or turn?”
Duffy echoed this sentiment, asserting, “We are going to wait for all the information to come in from this vantage point, but... what I’ve seen so far, do I think this was preventable? Absolutely.”
The tragedy deeply affected the figure skating community, as several athletes, coaches, and family members were said to have been aboard the passenger jet. “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” read a statement from U.S. Figure Skating that was shared by CNN.
Those looking to depart from Reagan National Airport were informed of its pending reopening at 11 a.m. Thursday. “It’s safe. We’ve worked with all of the federal agencies, [including the] FAA, and it’s been determined we can open that airport safely,” said Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority CEO Jack Potter. With that said, flights remain subject to delays and cancellations as recovery operations continue.