Military Helicopter and Passenger Plane Collide Over Washington, D.C., Killing 67
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A military helicopter and a commercial passenger jet collided midair over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, killing all 67 people aboard both aircraft, officials confirmed.
The crash occurred at 8:47 p.m. when American Airlines Flight 5342, a CRJ-700 regional jet arriving from Wichita, Kansas, struck a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter operated by the U.S. Army, call sign PAT25. Both aircraft plunged into the frigid waters below.
Dramatic Air Traffic Control Audio Captures Final Moments
LiveATC.net, which archives air traffic control communications, recorded urgent exchanges between controllers and pilots before and after the collision. Moments before impact, an air traffic controller instructed the helicopter crew to avoid the approaching jet.
“PAT25, do you have a CRJ in sight? PAT25, pass behind the CRJ,” the controller said.
Seconds later, a pilot on a different aircraft called in: “Tower, did you see that?”
An air traffic controller quickly issued an emergency alert.
“Crash, crash, crash, this is an alert three,” the controller stated, using aviation terminology for a major accident.
Another controller confirmed that both aircraft had gone down.
“I just saw a fireball and then it was just gone,” the controller said. “I haven’t seen anything since they hit the river. But it was a CRJ and a helicopter that hit.”
Rescue Efforts and Investigation Underway
First responders, including the U.S. Coast Guard and local emergency crews, launched an overnight search and recovery operation in the Potomac. However, as of Thursday morning, authorities said there were no signs of survivors.
Among the victims were a group of figure skaters, their coaches, and family members who had attended the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, according to U.S. Figure Skating.
The U.S. Army confirmed that the helicopter was based out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced an immediate investigation into the crash by the Army and the Department of Defense.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport suspended all flights after the incident but expects to resume operations by 11 a.m. Thursday, officials said.