Washington Late Wednesday, while approaching Reagan National Airport in Virginia, which lies just across from the District of Columbia, a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional flight carrying 64 passengers crashed, sending both planes into the Potomac River.
At a press conference on Thursday morning, Jack Potter, the president of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, stated, “Unfortunately, we were unable to rescue anyone.”
The origin of American Eagle Flight 5342 was in Wichita, Kansas. Russian skaters and U.S. figure skaters from Kansas were among those on board, according to the Kremlin and the U.S. Figure Skating Association.
American Airlines verified that the airplane was landing at DCA, the National Airport call letters, and that there were 60 passengers and four flight crew members on board. The Federal Aviation Administration said that the collision happened Wednesday at approximately 9 p.m. Eastern.
About 300 rescue personnel were combing the Potomac, according to D.C. fire chief John Donnelly. During the press conference, Donnelly stated that they were shifting their focus from rescue to recovery.
According to him, one body had been found in the helicopter and 27 in the plane.
On social media, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the Army and DOD had promptly begun an investigation.
According to officials, the National Transportation Safety Board will be in charge of the crash investigation.
The helicopter had been on a training flight, according to an email message shared by Hegseth from Heather Chairez, a spokesman for the U.S. military’s Joint Task Force-National Capital Region. The statement said the helicopter was based at Davison Army Airfield near Fort Belvoir, Virginia.
During the press conference, Robert Isom, the CEO of American Airlines, stated that we currently do not know why the military plane crossed the course of the passenger plane.
Muriel Bowser, the mayor of D.C., stated that she had not communicated with President Donald Trump directly, but rather with officials in the Trump administration.
In an overnight social media post, Trump appeared to be criticizing the crash and saying that it was a tragic situation that could have been avoided.
He claimed that the plane was approaching the airport in a precise and standard manner. For a long time, the helicopter was flying directly toward the aircraft. The plane’s lights were blazing, and it was a CLEAR NIGHT. Why didn’t the helicopter turn or go up or down? Instead of inquiring if the helicopter noticed the jet, why didn’t the control tower tell it what to do?
At the press conference, newly confirmed Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy stated that both aircraft were flying in a normal flight pattern, that Wednesday night was a clear night, and that he agreed the incident was preventable.
According to Duffy, the flight paths taken by American Airlines and the military prior to the crash were typical of what occurs in DC airspace.
He went on to say that before to the collision, everything was normal.
Duffy responded, “Something went wrong here.”
The president had been briefed and was keeping an eye on the situation, according to a different White House statement.
Democratic Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia, who have expressed worries with congested aircraft lanes at DCA, stated that they eagerly await the NTSB’s independent review.
Kaine stated that now is not the time to make assumptions. We need to look into this and find the answers to the issues, and I am sure that will be done.
According to Bowser, D.C. received people from the governors of Virginia and Maryland to assist in search and rescue efforts.
The eight-foot-deep water, the frigid weather, and the darkness were significant obstacles to the rescue efforts, according to Donnelly.
It’s just unsafe and difficult to operate in because of the wind and ice fragments, and there aren’t many lights, so you’re out there looking everywhere to see if you can locate somebody,” he said. The water is muddy and gloomy, making it extremely difficult for them to dive in.
Hours after the disaster, Kansas Republican Senators Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran attended a previous press conference at DCA.
“We will make every effort to ensure that we support the rescue efforts and that our subcommittee and Congress are involved in the necessary actions that need to be taken in light of the results of this evening’s investigation and this month’s investigation,” Moran stated.
Moran is a member of the Senate’s Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. He also mentioned that he has spoken with DOD, American Airlines, and the White House.
Hours after the collision, Duffy announced that an investigation would be conducted during the initial press conference.
There will undoubtedly be an examination of what transpired here tonight, and once the FAA has studied the situation, we will adjust fly paths as needed, Duffy stated.
Marshall sent his condolences to the passengers on the aircraft.
He remarked, “We wish there was more we could do.” I want people back home to know how much we love and care for them.
Several members of the U.S. Figure Skating team were confirmed to be on the trip.
These athletes, coaches, and relatives were on their way home from Wichita, Kansas, where they had attended the National Development Camp in connection with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. We have deep sympathy for the families of the victims and are heartbroken by this unimaginable tragedy. In a statement given to States Newsroom, the group stated that it will keep an eye on the issue and will provide additional details as they become available.
During a press conference Thursday at 8 a.m. Central, Wichita Mayor Lily Wusaid stated that they had not received the aircraft manifest and were unsure of the number of Kansas residents on board.
“To get the verified information to give to all of you, I am directly contacting American Airlines,” Wu stated.
Wu reported that one family visited the airport to inquire about the crash after the Wichita Airport Authority activated its family incident response team on Wednesday night.
According to Wichita officials, the direct flight from Wichita to Washington, D.C., started on January 8, 2024.
“We continue to advocate for those nonstop flights out of our community, and we were very honored to get that flight,” Wu said. This (city) council and I want everyone in our community to know that we are deeply saddened by this tragedy, that we are also grieving, and that we will do everything in our power to support those who have been impacted.
According to U.S. Representative Ron Estes, he continued to communicate with White House officials through Wednesday evening.
Estes, who represents the Wichita region, stated during the press briefing that when a tragedy like this occurs, “of course, we want to do the investigation, which will take days and weeks to go through that process, and to make sure that we can prevent accidents like this from happening in the future.”
In a statement issued Thursday, Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, who represents the Andover suburb of Wichita, said the incident was unimaginable.
A military helicopter struck American Eagle Flight 5342, which was traveling inbound from Wichita to Reagan National Airport, last night in the sky over our nation’s capital. The Kansas Senate is united in its unwavering prayer for the passengers and staff, their loved ones, and every soul affected by this terrible event, even as our leaders look for answers. “We pray for God’s comfort for everyone and grieve for those who lost their lives,” Masterson said.
American Airlines is directing victims’ relatives to contact 1-800-679-8215 and is posting information on its website, news.aa.com.
This report was aided by Ashley Murray.
