Officials have confirmed that they do not expect any survivors from the devastating mid-air collision between an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night.
Authorities say this is the deadliest U.S. plane crash since November 12, 2001, when an American Airlines jet crashed into a residential area in New York City, killing all 260 people on board.
Both U.S. Figure Skating and the International Skating Union (ISU) have confirmed that members of the figure skating community were aboard American Airlines Flight 5342. The passengers included athletes, coaches, and family members returning home from the National Development Camp, which took place alongside the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
“We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims’ families closely in our hearts,” U.S. Figure Skating shared in a statement Thursday. “We will continue to monitor the situation and release more information as it becomes available.”
According to local officials, at least 28 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River. While earlier reports suggested that four survivors had been pulled from the water, D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly clarified on Thursday that no survivors have been found.
Officials have located three debris fields in the water, confirming that they came from the American Airlines passenger plane, which split into two upon impact, and the military helicopter.
The incident occurred just before 9 p.m. local time as the PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, operating as American Airlines Flight 5342, and a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter, which was later identified as an Army Black Hawk, were approaching Runway 33 at the airport.
We’re aware of reports that American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, with service from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been involved in an incident. We will provide information as it becomes available.
— americanair (@AmericanAir) January 30, 2025
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the collision.
“PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines, which departed from Wichita, Kansas. The FAA and NTSB will investigate. The NTSB will lead the investigation,” the FAA’s statement said.
Further details about the victims and the circumstances of the crash are expected to be released as the investigation unfolds.
This is a developing story…
