A commercial airliner carrying 64 people collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, federal aviation officials confirmed.
The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. ET as the jet, operated by PSA Airlines for American Airlines, was approaching Runway 33 for landing. The aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ-700, had 60 passengers and four crew members on board, while the Black Hawk helicopter carried three soldiers from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, according to the Pentagon.
Eyewitness footage from a webcam at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts captured the moment the two aircraft collided at low altitude, followed by a bright explosion. Radar tracking data suggests the passenger jet plunged into the frigid waters of the Potomac River.
Emergency response teams, including helicopters and fireboats, were immediately dispatched to the crash site, with DC Fire and EMS confirming that a search-and-rescue operation was underway. “Multiple partner agencies are coordinating efforts in the Potomac River,” officials stated.
The airspace surrounding Reagan National Airport is known for its complexity due to restricted flight paths over government buildings and the frequent presence of police and military helicopters. As a precaution, all flights at the airport were temporarily halted.
In a statement from the White House, President Trump expressed condolences: “I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident at Reagan National Airport. May God bless their souls. Thank you to our incredible first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide updates as they arise.”
The last major commercial airline disaster in the U.S. occurred in 2009, when a Colgan Air flight crashed near Buffalo, New York, killing all 49 people on board and one person on the ground.
As of now, officials have not released details regarding casualties or survivors from Wednesday night’s crash. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have launched an investigation into the cause of the collision.
