American Airlines Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ700 operated by PSA Airlines, collided mid-air with a U.S. Army Sikorsky VH-60M Black Hawk helicopter while on final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on 29 January 2025.
The accident resulted in both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River, killing all 67 people on board.
Flight 5342 had departed from Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Kansas, while the helicopter, a “Gold Top” configured for executive transport, was on a training flight from Davison Army Airfield in Virginia.
The collision occurred at less than 300 feet in altitude after the helicopter crew had requested and received approval for visual separation from the airliner, moments before the impact.
Emergency responders from multiple agencies, including the Metropolitan Police, DC Fire and EMS, and Maryland State Police, arrived swiftly at the crash site but faced challenges due to harsh weather conditions.
Fireboats and divers searched the river, but the operation soon transitioned from rescue to recovery as no survivors were found.
Several commercial yachts assisted in the effort, and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport suspended operations, diverting flights to nearby airports.
The crash led to disruptions in local transportation, with Metro services extended to accommodate passengers affected by the airport shutdown. Within hours, authorities confirmed the fatalities, including members of the U.S. Figure Skating community and military personnel.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Defense, and the U.S. Army launched investigations into the disaster, with the FBI also assisting.
Initial reports highlighted concerns over air traffic control staffing at Reagan Airport, with only one controller managing both helicopters and aircraft landings.
The wreckage of Flight 5342 was found in three sections, and debris was searched as far as the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.
This was the deadliest American Airlines incident since 2001 and the most severe U.S. aviation accident involving multiple fatalities since 2009. The crash underscored the challenges of flying in the highly restricted and congested airspace around Washington, D.C.
