'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

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Edited By: tccjeremy

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

Key Takeaways:

A midair collision occurred near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (KDCA) between an American Eagle regional jet (Flight 5342) and a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, and all 67 people aboard (64 on the jet, 3 on the helicopter) are presumed deceased, with rescue efforts shifting to recovery.
The FAA and NTSB have launched an investigation into the incident, potentially examining factors such as communication issues due to different radio frequencies (VHF vs. UHF) used by civilian and military aircraft.
The collision led to the closure of KDCA until Thursday morning and the diversion of 19 incoming flights to other airports.

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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.