Multiple fatalities as passenger jet collides with Black Hawk helicopter in Washington
January 30, 2025
An American Airlines regional jetliner operated by PSA Airlines and carrying 64 people collided with a US Army U-60 Black Hawk helicopter carrying three military personnel on Wednesday night, as it prepared to land at Ronald Reagan Washington Airport in the US.
American Airlines CEO, Robert Isom, confirmed the aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ1700, was operated by PSA Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines, as he said: “This is a difficult day and our focus now is entirely on the need of our passengers, crew members, partners and first responders along with their families and loved ones.”
He also emphasised the airline has sent a “Go” team to Washington and he would also be heading there to assist and support with the investigation. “We are actively working with local, state and federal authorities and are co-operating fully with the National Transport Safety Board (NSTB) in the investigation. We want to learn everything we can about today’s events. It will take time but anything we can be doing we will be doing,” he continued.
Advising of the emergency helpline that has been set up for concerned family members he reiterated: “We will share accurate and timely information as soon as we can, but everything we report must be accurate. We are working around the clock to support passengers, crew and their families.”
First major US incident in a decade and a half
The collision is the first major air incident for a US airline to occur in almost two decades. According to the authorities, PSA Airlines Flight 5342 had flown from Wichita in Kansas before colliding midair with the helicopter around 9pm just before landing in Washington. A major search-and-rescue operation is ongoing in the nearby Potomac River, with early reports suggesting that at least 19 bodies have been recovered from the freezing waters although final figures are yet to be confirmed.
Speaking early on Thursday morning, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, released a statement saying, “We can’t provide any more information about recovery efforts.”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed preliminary information indicates a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ1700 regional jet collided with the helicopter while on the final approach for Runway 33 at an approximate altitude of 300 feet ASML. According to the FAA, the helicopter was not broadcasting ADS-B data. While American Eagle flight 5342 was carrying 60 passengers and four crew, the Sikorsky H-60 was reportedly carrying three crew.
Passengers onboard the PSA Airlines flight are thought to include figure skaters and coaches who were returning from a US Figure Skating event in Wichita. A statement from the US Figure Skating read: “We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts. We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.”
A “bad situation”
Meanwhile, President Trump released a statement on social media platform, Truth Social, questioning the circumstances around the collision. “It is a clear night, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn,” his post read. “Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. Not good!”
The accident is the first fatal airline crash to occur in the US since 2009, when a Colgan Air turboprop crashed on approach to landing in Buffalo, New York.
