Passenger Jet and Helicopter Midair Collision

In a devastating midair collision Wednesday night, an American Airlines passenger jet and a U.S. Army helicopter crashed over the icy waters of the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan National Airport, killing all 67 people
aboard. Officials have called the crash the
worst U.S. aviation disaster in nearly
24 years. The American Airlines Bombardier
CRJ700 was on its final approach to Reagan National, arriving from Wichita, Kansas, when the helicopter reportedly entered its flight path.
The aircraft clipped each other at high speed, creating a massive fireball and sending debris and wreckage into the river below.
Witnesses described a horrifying scene as the jet broke into three sections upon impact with the water, while the helicopter’s remains were
found scattered across many miles of
land. Rescue teams worked overnight in
freezing conditions, recovering at least 28 bodies from the Potomac River by Thursday morning.
Divers continued their search throughout the day, working alongside investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
By late Thursday, authorities confirmed that the remains of all three soldiers aboard the Army helicopter had been located. “The investigation and recovery efforts remain active,” D.C. Fire and EMS said in a statement. “We are working
diligently to locate all victims and aircraft components to support the investigation.”
The cause of the collision remains unclear, but reports suggest that an air traffic control staffing issue may have played a role.
According to an FAA report obtained by The Associated Press, one air traffic controller was handling two positions at the time of the crash, an unusual and potentially dangerous scenario,
especially given the volume of traffic at Reagan National.

President Donald Trump addressed the nation Thursday morning, confirming there were no survivors. “As one nation, we grieve for every precious soul taken from us so suddenly,”
he spoke. However, his remarks later in the day sparked controversy when he suggested that FAA diversity hiring initiatives may have compromised air safety. The NTSB has recovered the plane’s black box and cockpit voice recorder, which have been sent for analysis.
“We’re here to assure the American people that we will leave no stone unturned in this investigation,” NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said at a press conference. Officials expect to release a preliminary report within 30 days. Among those who lost their lives were two young figure skaters, two of their parents, and two esteemed Russian coaches. Doug Zeghibe, CEO of the Skating Club of Boston, confirmed on Thursday that skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, along with coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, were among the victims.
Also among the victims were two Chinese nationals, according to the Chinese Embassy, which pledged to assist the victims’ families.
Several former students from Loudoun County Public Schools were also on board, deepening the tragedy’s impact on the local community. The crash disrupted air traffic at Reagan National, grounding flights overnight. By Thursday morning, operations resumed, but delays persisted as investigators continued working at
the crash site. As families, the community, and the nation mourn, authorities are focused on determining what went wrong and preventing such a catastrophe from occurring again. “Our mission is to understand not just what happened, but why it happened,” said NTSB board member Todd Inman. “And to recommend changes to prevent it from happening again.”