'No Survivors': American Eagle Flight, Army Black Hawk Collide Over Potomac River

Bombardier CRJ-700 was on approach at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Meg Godlewski

Thursday, January 30, 2025 at 11:29 AM ET

Verified

Edited By: tccjeremy

The crash site in the Potomac River [Credit: Getty Images/Win McNamee]

Key Takeaways:

An American Airlines regional jet (American Eagle Flight 5342) and a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter collided midair near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) on Wednesday night.
Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, and all 67 occupants (64 on the jet, 3 on the helicopter) are presumed to have perished, with the search shifting from rescue to recovery.
The FAA and NTSB are investigating the incident, with potential factors including communication differences between civilian (VHF) and military (UHF) aircraft.

See a mistake? Contact us.

The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation into a midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) on Wednesday night.

The airliner, identified as American Eagle Flight 5342, a PSA Bombardier CRJ-700, was on approach to land on Runway 33 at KDCA shortly before 9 p.m. EST when the accident happened.