American Airlines Plane Collides With Helicopter Midair In Washington, Many Killed | Videos

Last Updated:January 30, 2025, 12:08 IST

A mid-air collision between a passenger plane and a helicopter near Reagan Airport resulted in both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River. Rescue operations are underway.

A helicopter assists with search and rescue operations over Capital Cove Marine in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport (Photo: AFP)

An American Airlines passenger plane collided midair with a helicopter, after which both aircraft crashed in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington Airport on Thursday. According to media reports, rescuers have so far pulled out 19 bodies from the Potomac River. However, an official confirmation on the deaths was awaited.

The plane was reportedly carrying 64 people, including passengers and crew members, while the helicopter was carrying three people at the time of the crash.

Several fireboats were on the scene as the rescue operations were underway, according to the Washington Fire Department, Reuters said.

The wrecked fuselages of both the US military helicopter and the commercial jet involved in a collision over the Potomac River are lying in the water, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser told a press briefing early Thursday.

According to Fox News, American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with a Black Hawk helicopter near the airport.

Videos on social media showed the moment when the plane crashed into the chopper during landing at the Reagan Airport.

Another video showed a different angle of the collision.

Meanwhile, all takeoffs and landings at the airport were halted as emergency personnel responded to the incident.

MOMENTS BEFORE THE REAGAN PLANE CRASH

According to the Associated Press, American Airlines Flight 5342 was inbound to Reagan at an altitude of about 400 feet and a speed of about 140 miles per hour when it suffered a rapid loss of altitude over the Potomac River, according to data from its radio transponder.

The Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-701 twin-engine jet, manufactured in 2004, can be configured to carry up to 70 passengers.

A few minutes before landing, air traffic controllers asked the arriving commercial jet if it could land on the shorter Runway 33 at Reagan and the pilots said they were able.

Controllers then cleared the plane to land on Runway 33. Flight tracking sites showed the plane adjust its approach to the new runway.

Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asked the helicopter if it had the arriving plane in sight.

The controller made another radio call to the helicopter moments later, “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ."

Seconds after that, the two aircraft collided.

The plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting about 2,400 feet short of the runway, roughly over the middle of the river.

REAGAN AIRPORT ABORTS FLIGHT OPERATIONS

In an X post, Reagan Airport confirmed, “All takeoffs and landings have been halted at DCA. Emergency personnel are responding to an aircraft incident on the airfield. The terminal remains open. Will update."

A video showed emergency crews on the ground.

In an X post, Texas Senator Ted Cruz wrote, “I am closely monitoring the situation at DCA, and I will receive a briefing from the FAA tomorrow. While we don’t yet know how many on board were lost, we know there are fatalities."

Also, Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department posted on X, “MPD is responding to an apparent air crash in the Potomac River. Multiple agencies are responding."

News world American Airlines Plane Collides With Helicopter Midair In Washington, Many Killed | Videos