DC plane crash updates: 55 victims recovered and positively identified

All 67 people on board the plane and the helicopter were killed.

Last Updated: February 2, 2025, 9:59 PM GMT

An American Airlines regional jet went down in the Potomac River near Washington, D.C.'s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport after colliding with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night, with no survivors.

Sixty-four people were on board the plane, which departed from Wichita, Kansas. Three soldiers were on the helicopter.

The collision happened around 9 p.m. when the PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet was on approach to the airport.

Map of the area around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and the layout of Runway 33, which the regional American Airlines jet was approaching at the time of the collision with the Army Black Hawk helicopter, according to officials.
ABC News, Google Earth, Flightradar24, ADS-B Exchange
Jan 30, 2025, 3:20 AM GMT

Unspecified number of fatalities in collision

Sen. Ted Cruz, the chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said there are fatalities in the collision.

"While we don’t yet know how many on board were lost, we know there are fatalities," Cruz said on X. "Please join Heidi and me in praying for all involved as the search and rescue is underway."

Jan 30, 2025, 3:15 AM GMT

Jet collided in midair with military helicopter while approaching airport: FAA

A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The airline was operating Flight 5342 for American Airlines, according to the FAA.

The military aircraft was a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, according to two U.S. officials.

The plane had departed from Wichita, Kansas, the FAA said.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation.

Jan 30, 2025, 3:14 AM GMT

White House says military helicopter collided with regional jet near Reagan airport outside DC

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that a military helicopter collided with a regional jet near Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C.

"It appears that a military helicopter collided with a regional jet at DCA airport right here in Washington, D.C.," Leavitt said in an appearance on Fox News Wednesday night. "That's all I can confirm at this point in time, and I can just say that the thoughts and the prayers of the entire Trump administration are with all those that are involved."

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