Passenger jet, Blackhawk helicopter collide in DC
An American Airlines flight with 64 people aboard collided with an Army helicopter, and no survivors have been found


What happened
A regional American Airlines flight with 64 people aboard collided with an Army helicopter Wednesday night near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The passenger jet, preparing to land after a nonstop flight from Wichita, Kansas, and the UH-60 Blackhawk both crashed into the frigid Potomac River. The Blackhawk, on a training flight from Fort Belvoir in Virginia, had a crew of three, the Army said.
Who said what
A massive search-and-rescue operation involving about 300 first responders had found "no survivors" as of late last night, and "police have pulled multiple bodies from the water," The Washington Post said. The 60 passengers on American Eagle Flight 5342 included figure skaters, their coaches and family members returning from a development camp in Wichita; at least two of the skaters were Russian, the Kremlin said.
The Wichita area was "thrilled in January 2024 when American Airlines added a nonstop flight to Washington," The New York Times said. But the D.C.-area lawmakers had warned that adding more flights could jeopardize safety at the busy airport, where "at least eight near-midair collisions" occurred last year, according to FAA data. The last major U.S. commercial airline crash was in 2009, near Buffalo.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What next?
Regan National will be closed until at least 11 a.m. Thursday. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead an investigation into the deadly collision.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'What is this Hungarian model they so admire?'
Instant Opinion 'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - April 1, 2025
Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - trade wars, tax deadlines, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Southwest joins rival airlines on paid baggage
Speed Read The company is ending its longtime free-luggage policy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US jet fuel tanker, cargo ship collide off UK coast
Speed Read A cargo vessel carrying a toxic chemical collides with a US-military chartered oil tanker in the North Sea
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Delta flight lands upside-down in Toronto, no deaths
speed read At least 18 people were injured in a flight that landed at Toronto's Pearson International Airport
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Washington DC plane crash: how did mid-air collision happen?
Today's Big Question Experts struggle to explain how sophisticated airspace control system failed to prevent deadly disaster
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
New York rolls out vehicle toll in Manhattan
Speed Read In an effort to reduce traffic gridlock, vehicles will automatically be charged a toll to drive below 60th Street
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate passes FAA bill with new consumer protections
Speed Read The legislation will require airlines to refund customers for flight delays
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
6 presumed dead in Baltimore bridge collapse
Speed Read A massive cargo ship hit a support pillar of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing it to crumple
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
United and Alaska find loose bolts on Boeing 737 Max 9s grounded after midair blowout
Speed Read Preliminary inspections of Max 9 emergency door plugs suggest a possible broader problem with how the aircraft were assembled or modified
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published