Passenger jet and US Army Black Hawk involved in a crash
In the US capital Washington, DC, a passenger jet with 64 people on board has collided with a US Army Black Hawk carrying three army personnel
A passenger jet and an army helicopter have crashed in Washington, DC. The accident occurred mid-air near to the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, at which all flights have now been suspended.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), American Airlines flight 5342 (operated by PSA Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines) collided with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter at 21:00 local time on Wednesday 29 January 2025.
The jet had left from Wichita, Kansas, and was carrying 60 passengers and four crew, as confirmed by a statement from Robert Isom, CEO of American Airlines. It is believed that the plane was carrying several members of the US figure-skating community, their family and coaches, among others. For anyone concerned that they may have loved ones on board flight 5342, American Airlines has set up a helpline they can call toll-free on 800-679-8215 from the USA, as well as from Canada, Puerto Rico or the US Virgin Islands. Those calling from outside those regions can visit news.aa.com for additional phone numbers.
An official from Washington, DC, said the helicopter was conducting part of a training flight, and it belonged to B Company, 12th Aviation Battalion from Fort Belvoir in Virginia.
The rescue and recovery effort has been ongoing through the night on the Potomac River, where the aircraft crashed. Approximately 300 first responders are working, but are being hampered by the freezing temperatures and wind.
Jon Adams
Jon is the Editor of AirMed&Rescue. He was previously Editor for Clinical Medicine and Future Healthcare Journal at the Royal College of Physicians before coming to AirMed&Rescue in November 2022. His favorite helicopter is the Army Air Corps Lynx that he saw his father fly while growing up on Army bases.