January 30, 2025: A tragic midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a US Army helicopter has resulted in the deaths of at least 18 people after both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River near Washington. The accident occurred while the passenger jet was approaching Reagan National Airport, prompting an immediate suspension of all flight operations at the airport.
The American Airlines flight, operated by PSA Airlines, was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members and was en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington. The US Army confirmed that one of its helicopters was involved in the accident, stating that it was on a routine training flight at the time of the collision. There were three soldiers on board the helicopter, but their status remains unknown.
A surveillance camera at the Kennedy Centre captured the horrifying moment of impact, showing the aircraft colliding midair and instantly bursting into a fireball before plummeting into the river below. Emergency teams, including multiple search and rescue units, were immediately deployed to the scene. Authorities have so far recovered 18 bodies from the river as efforts continue to locate any potential survivors.
Investigations into the cause of the collision are underway, with both the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) gathering crucial data. Flight transponder readings indicate that the passenger jet was flying at an altitude of around 400 feet and traveling at 140 miles per hour when it suddenly lost altitude over the Potomac River. Audio recordings from the air traffic control tower captured a controller asking the helicopter pilot moments before the crash whether they had the passenger jet in sight. Just seconds later, another pilot could be heard exclaiming in shock at the apparent collision.
US President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to question how such an accident was allowed to happen. Expressing his frustration, he wondered why the helicopter did not divert its course and criticized the air traffic control tower’s handling of the situation. He described the crash as a “bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented” and emphasized that the passenger jet was on a routine approach with its lights clearly visible in the night sky.
The collision has raised serious concerns over aviation safety in one of the most heavily monitored airspaces in the world, just five kilometers from the White House and the Capitol. As investigations continue, authorities are working to determine what led to the tragic accident and whether it could have been avoided.