No Survivors Expected After Collision Involving American Airlines Plane -

A devastating event unfolded when a regional jet operated by American Airlines Group collided with a military helicopter near Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington, leaving no survivors from either aircraft, as reported by officials. This incident is regarded as one of the most tragic air disasters in the United States in recent years and poses a significant early challenge for President Donald Trump’s administration, which had only just begun its second week in office.

American Flight 5342, arriving from Wichita, Kansas, with 60 passengers and four crew members onboard, collided with a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter carrying three military personnel while on its final approach shortly before 9 p.m. local time on Wednesday. Emergency responders worked tirelessly throughout the night in search of survivors; however, as dawn broke, their focus transitioned to recovery efforts, as detailed in a press briefing held at the airport.

“As of now, we do not expect any survivors from this incident,” Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief John Donnelly stated. “The responders endured extremely cold temperatures, strong winds, and icy waters while conducting their nighttime operations.”

This crash is part of a troubling pattern of devastating aviation incidents over the past year, ending a lengthy period with few fatalities in the civil aviation sector.

On January 2, 2024, a Japan Airlines Airbus A350 collided with a smaller aircraft on landing in Tokyo, resulting in the deaths of everyone on the parked plane, while those on the larger jet managed to survive a subsequent fire. Last month, a Boeing 737 attempting an emergency landing in South Korea skidded on its belly into a concrete wall just off the runway, killing all but two of the 181 individuals onboard.

Video footage of the catastrophic crash circulated on social media, showing the two aircraft colliding mid-air, bursting into flames, and then plunging into the river. The wreckage of the regional jet was discovered capsized in three parts within the river, complicating salvage operations due to the scattered crash site, as noted by Donnelly.

The political implications of this disaster will be closely examined. Just days prior, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was sworn in, and Sean Duffy was confirmed as Transportation Secretary overseeing the FAA. Importantly, the FAA currently operates without an administrator, following Mike Whitaker’s resignation on Trump’s inauguration day.

Trump expressed his frustration over the collision via a Truth Social post, insisting that the aircraft was on a “perfect and routine” approach.

“The helicopter flew directly towards the airplane for an extended period,” he noted. “It was a CLEAR NIGHT, and the plane’s lights were fully illuminated—why didn’t the helicopter either ascend, descend, or alter its course?”

Among the passengers on the American flight were members of the U.S. figure-skating community, returning from national championships in Wichita, as reported by U.S. Figure Skating. According to AFP, citing Russian news outlets, a championship skating couple from Russia was also among the passenger list.

The tragedy recalled the January 1982 Air Florida Boeing 737 accident, where the plane failed to gain altitude after takeoff due to ice on its engines and wings, ultimately colliding with the 14th Street Bridge and crashing into the frozen Potomac River. Most individuals aboard were killed, including four motorists below.

The aircraft involved in Wednesday’s incident typically accommodates 65 passengers and is frequently utilized for short-haul flights. Moran remarked that the specific route is one he has “frequently flown,” having traveled from Wichita to Reagan Airport “numerous times.” The jet was approaching runway 33 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, traveling at 228 kilometers (142 miles) per hour, around 400 feet above the river when data recording ceased, as reported by Flightradar24.

In the aftermath of the incident, Reagan Airport has temporarily suspended all aircraft take-offs and landings, according to the airport operator, and is expected to remain closed until 11 a.m. local time.

Emergency services near the crash site on January 29. Image: Alex Wroblewski/Bloomberg

“The conditions are particularly dangerous and pose significant challenges for navigation,” Donnelly remarked in a prior briefing. “There’s a lack of visibility, and our team is thoroughly searching every area to locate any potential victims. Divers are also contending with harsh conditions in the dark, murky waters.”

The last recorded passenger aircraft crash in the U.S. was the Colgan Air Flight 3407 near Buffalo, New York, in 2009, which involved 45 passengers on a regional route for Continental Airlines.

American Airlines has confirmed its cooperation with first responders and has set up a toll-free hotline for families of those passengers onboard the flight. This flight operated under the American Eagle banner, encompassing six regional carriers for the larger airline, three of which are owned by American. PSA Airlines, the operator of the flight, is the smallest of those carriers, managing 130 aircraft with an average of 600 flights daily, based in Dayton, Ohio.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the investigation, with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The NTSB has deployed a rapid-response team to conduct the investigation.

Duffy, who was present at the briefing, noted that he had just assumed the role a little over a day earlier. He recognized the challenge of determining the cause of the accident, stating that there would be “a thorough investigation of the events that night, and based on the FAA’s findings, we will make necessary adjustments to flight routes and permissions.”

Reagan Airport is situated in Arlington, Virginia, directly across the river from Washington D.C. and south of the Pentagon, placing it in one of the most closely monitored airspaces in the world.

Police special response officers at Ronald Reagan National Airport. Image: Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg

Trump stated on Wednesday night that he had been “fully briefed” on the incident and is closely monitoring the unfolding situation. Hegseth indicated that the agency is actively observing the matter and is “prepared to offer assistance.”

“We will ensure that all necessary resources are mobilized as we proceed with this recovery effort,” Duffy affirmed.

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