A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, flying as an American Airlines flight in a shocking incident, collided with a US Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night around 9 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The passenger plane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, while the military helicopter had three personnel aboard.
“This is the main local airport serving the Washington, DC, metropolitan area. We believe that both aircraft are in the river, which is of enormous concern. We were told that, at best, someone could survive about an hour and a half in this water,” stated an emergency responder at the scene, which saw an “enormous response” including emergency vehicles and boats.
Video footage circulating on social media captured the moment of impact, showing an explosion following the collision. Preliminary reports suggest that an air traffic controller had instructed the helicopter to pass behind the approaching aircraft, moments before the incident.
President Donald Trump, who has been “fully briefed” on the “terrible accident,” along with Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, have been updated on the situation. Senator Ted Cruz confirmed fatalities but did not disclose specific numbers.
The Federal Aviation Administration has announced that Ronald Reagan National Airport will remain closed until at least 5 a.m. on Friday. Both the National Transportation Safety Board and the Department of Defence have initiated investigations into the cause of this tragic event.
If the incident results in fatalities, it would mark the first fatal crash involving a US commercial airline since the Colgan Air Flight 3407 disaster in 2009, which claimed 49 lives in Buffalo, New York.
Ronald Reagan National Airport, being the closest airport to Washington, DC, is a pivotal hub for domestic travel, making this event particularly impactful for the region’s transportation network.