Please follow and like us:

Arlington, Va. – A tragic midair collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has claimed the lives of all 67 people aboard both aircraft. The crash, which occurred late Wednesday, is the deadliest U.S. air disaster in nearly 25 years.

Officials confirmed that the Bombardier CRJ700 jet was on its final approach from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, when the military helicopter entered its flight path. When the collision occurred, the helicopter, which had three soldiers aboard, was reportedly navigating the congested airspace around Washington, D.C.

Emergency crews launched immediate search and rescue operations in the Potomac River, where much of the wreckage was found. At least 28 bodies have been recovered so far as first responders continue their efforts. The plane was discovered upside-down in three sections, and the helicopter’s debris was also located in the river.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reports indicate that a single air traffic controller was responsible for helicopter coordination and jetliner traffic at the time of the accident—an unusual staffing configuration for that hour. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating whether this played a role in the disaster. The jet’s cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder have been recovered and sent for analysis.

Weather conditions were clear, and the military helicopter was restricted to a maximum altitude of 200 feet. Whether it exceeded that limit remains unclear, but altitude is being examined as a potential factor.

President Donald Trump, addressing the nation Thursday morning, expressed condolences for the victims and declared a shift from rescue to recovery efforts. However, his remarks took a political turn as he criticized FAA policies and air traffic controller hiring practices despite investigators warning against speculation on the cause.

Reagan National Airport, temporarily closed after the crash, has since resumed operations. The investigation is expected to take months as officials work to determine how one of the most tightly monitored airspaces in the world witnessed such a catastrophic failure.