A view of the emergency response that looks from Arlington, Virginia, south of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, through the Potomac River to the Columbia district, Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
Alex Brandon | AP
A American Airlines Regional Jet with 64 people on board collided with a Black Hawk military helicopter near Washington, DC, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, said the Federal Aviation Administration.
The Bombardier Crj700 regional aircraft of PSA Airlines collided with a H-60 Sikorsky helicopter while the passenger plane approached track 33 at the airport around 9 pm et, said the FAA. Flight 5342 arrived from Wichita, Kansas. PSA Airlines is a total property subsidiary of American Airlines.
Sixty passengers and four crew members were aboard the American flight, said the airline.
“Our concern is for passengers and the crew on board the plane,” said American in a statement. “We are in contact with the authorities and help with emergency response efforts.”
The airline provided contact information if “believes that you can have loved ones aboard flight 5342”.
Reagan Washington National was closed on Wednesday night, FAA said.
Local officials confirmed that at least one plane was on the Potomac River. The images on social networks showed a great presence of emergency responders.
The US Army. UU. Confirmed that the second plane was a helicopter of the Army of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and said in a statement: “We are working with local officials and we will provide additional information once available.”
It was not clear immediately if there were casualties.
The United States has had a long section without crashes of fatal commercial airlines. The last accident of the US commercial passenger airline occurred in February 2009 when Flight 3407 Continental crashed into a house when it arrived in Buffalo, New York, killing the 49 people on board and a person on the ground.
The accident of that turbopropulor plane caused federal regulations that require more rest and training for pilots.
FAA and the National Transport Security Board are investigating Wednesday's incident.
A view of the emergency response that looks from Arlington, Virginia, south of the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, through the Potomac River to the Columbia district, Wednesday, January 29, 2025.
Alex Brandon | AP
President Donald Trump said he was informed about the accident on Wednesday.
“Thank you for the incredible work done by our first responders,” he said in a statement.
The transport department did not comment immediately. The Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy was sworn on Tuesday.
These are last -minute news. Consult the updates again.
