A devastating midair collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines passenger plane near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night has left no expected survivors. Officials have recovered 28 bodies as of 8 a.m. Thursday, with recovery efforts still ongoing for the 67 people on board both aircraft.
The commercial flight, en route to Washington, D.C., from Wichita, Kansas, collided with a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that had taken off from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, for a routine training mission. Investigators are now working to determine how the collision occurred.
Here are five key things to know about the tragic accident:
1. How Did the Crash Happen?
Federal investigators are probing the cause of the collision, which happened around 9 p.m. as the American Airlines flight was descending toward the runway at Reagan National Airport. The airport is located just outside Washington, D.C., within some of the nation’s most restricted airspace.
Air traffic controllers reportedly asked the pilots of the American Airlines flight if they could land on a shorter runway, and they agreed, according to The Associated Press. Moments before impact, a controller asked the Army helicopter pilots if they had visual contact with the approaching plane. When controllers made another call seconds later, the helicopter crew did not respond.
2. What Errors Were Made?
Former President Donald Trump reacted to the crash on Truth Social, stating that the collision "should have been prevented" and implying that the commercial airliner was not at fault.
"The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport," Trump wrote. "The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time."
Trump questioned why the Black Hawk did not take evasive action, pointing out that visibility was clear and the jet's lights were fully illuminated.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also weighed in, calling the accident “absolutely” preventable.
3. What Do We Know About the Victims?
The crash involved 60 passengers, four crew members, and three Army personnel aboard the Black Hawk. Officials have stated that they do not expect any survivors.
Approximately 300 emergency responders launched a search-and-rescue mission immediately after the crash. So far, 28 bodies have been recovered.
The U.S. Figure Skating organization confirmed that several members of its community were on board, including Russian-born world champions Yevgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov. The Kremlin confirmed their deaths, stating they had lived in the U.S. since 1998 and were returning to Washington with young skaters from a national development camp in Wichita.
4. What Is the Military’s Role in the Response?
Defense officials have confirmed that both aircraft were flying within standard operational patterns when the collision occurred. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said the Department of Defense has launched an investigation.
In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), Hegseth called the incident "absolutely tragic" and assured the public that recovery efforts were ongoing.
The Army helicopter crew was conducting an annual night evaluation exercise using night-vision goggles at the time of the crash. The 12th Aviation Battalion, responsible for the Black Hawk, has paused operations for 48 hours while investigators work to determine what went wrong.
5. What Happens Now at Reagan National Airport?
Reagan National Airport was immediately closed to both takeoffs and landings after the collision. Officials have since announced that normal operations will resume at 11 a.m. Thursday.
The crash is one of the deadliest aviation disasters in the Washington, D.C., area since Air Florida Flight 90 plunged into the Potomac River in 1982, killing 78 people. That crash was attributed to pilot error and icy conditions.
Additionally, this is the first fatal crash involving a major airline jet in 12 years, the last being the Asiana Airlines crash at San Francisco International Airport in 2013.
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