Update: January 30, 2025, at 3:15 p.m. ET
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) has reopened to commercial air travel in the wake of Wednesday's fatal collision.
The airport was forced to cancel hundreds of flights prior to reopening at 11 a.m. ET.
Travelers should continue to check their flight status with their airline before arriving at the airport.
Update: January 30, 2025, at 7:51 a.m. ET
American Airlines regional provider, American Eagle Flight
5342, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, collided with a United
States Army Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter carrying three soldiers on
Tuesday night.
According to The Associated Press,
Flight 5342 was attempting to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
near Washington, D.C., when video shows the two aircraft colliding, causing a
massive explosion.
U.S. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the “terrible
accident,” who sent his condolences to those impacted and praised the first
responders. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called the collision “absolutely
tragic.”
CBS
News is reporting that at least 30 bodies had been recovered along the Virginia
side of the Potomac River by 6:45 a.m. ET. The plane broke into multiple pieces
that are sitting in 5-8 feet of water, with “human remains and debris”
littering the area.
A statement from the U.S. Figure Skating team said that
"several members of our skating community were sadly aboard” the impacted
flight. Reagan National Airport will remain closed until at least 11 a.m. ET on
Thursday.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom released a video statement:
“First and most importantly, I'd like to express our deep
sorrows about these events. This is a difficult day for all of us at American
Airlines, and our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our
passengers, crew members, partners, first responders, along with their families
and loved ones.”
Isom said American Airlines is cooperating with the National
Transportation Safety Board's investigation.
As of Thursday morning, flight-tracking website FlightAware.com reported more than 500 cancellations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which isn't expected to resume flights until at least 11 a.m. ET.
Original Text
An American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter on Wednesday night near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
"A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time," The FAA said in a statement. "PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines. It departed from Wichita, Kansas. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation."
60 passengers and 4 crew were reported on board.
The airport stated all takeoffs and landings were halted as a rescue mission is underway in the Potomac river. NBC has reported four people have been pulled alive from the river.
The helicopter involved in the crash was an Army Black Hawk.
This marks the first crash incident with a U.S. commercial airline since 2009.
Video from the Kennedy Center webcam shows the incident, as shared on X:
American Airlines posted on X that it is aware and will provide updated information as it becomes available.
TravelPulse will update this story as more information is revealed.
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