A regional American Airlines passenger jet and a Black Hawk military helicopter collided midair over Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, marking the nation’s first major commercial airline crash since 2009.
Law enforcement sources confirmed multiple fatalities, with several bodies recovered from the Potomac River. As of now, no survivors have been found, according to officials familiar with the ongoing rescue operation.
The American Airlines flight, operating as PSA Airlines Flight 5342, carried 60 passengers and four crew members. The aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ700 with a maximum capacity of 70 passengers, had departed from Wichita, Kansas, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The Black Hawk helicopter, carrying three Army soldiers, was on a training flight at the time of the crash. Army officials stated that no senior military leaders were on board. The helicopter was based at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and operated under Joint Task Force-National Capital Region.
Preliminary FAA reports indicate that the PSA Airlines jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk while approaching the airport.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by harsh conditions, with the Potomac River’s water temperature at approximately 36 degrees and winds gusting between 25 and 30 mph.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched an investigation, with the NTSB leading the probe into the cause of the collision.
