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AA Plane and Army Helicopter Collide Over D.C., Leaves No Survivors

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Clear Facts

  • An American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter collided midair over Washington, D.C., with no expected survivors.
  • The crash involved American Airlines flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter, resulting in at least 28 bodies recovered by 8 a.m. ET.
  • Among the victims were 14 members of the U.S. Figure Skating team and Russian figure skaters and coaches.

In a devastating incident over Washington, D.C., an American Airlines plane collided with an Army helicopter on Wednesday night. The collision, which occurred as the plane was nearing Runway 33, has led authorities to believe there are no survivors.

The American Airlines flight 5342, which departed from Wichita, Kansas, tragically crashed into the Potomac River around 9 p.m. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed the details of the crash.

Onboard the American Airlines flight were 60 passengers and four crew members. The Army Black Hawk helicopter, involved in a training flight, carried three people. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser provided these details during a press briefing.

By 8 a.m. ET, rescue teams had recovered at least 28 bodies. D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly stated, “We don’t believe there are any survivors.”

The crash has deeply affected the U.S. Figure Skating community. At least 14 members of the team were on the flight, including six associated with the Skating Club of Boston. Doug Zeghibe, the club’s CEO and executive director, expressed the community’s grief, saying:

“Skating is a very close and tight-knit community. These kids and their parents — they are here at our skating facility in Norwood six, sometimes seven days a week. It is a close, tight bond, and I think for all of us, we have lost family.”

Additionally, Russian state media reported that Russian figure skaters and coaches were also among the passengers.

The Army helicopter was based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia and was on a training mission when the accident occurred.

In response to the crash, Reagan National Airport was closed until at least 11 a.m. ET. The White House announced that President Donald Trump would address the nation regarding the tragedy at 11 a.m. ET.

This heartbreaking event continues to unfold, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Let us know what you think, please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Kevin C

    January 31, 2025 at 7:07 am

    It’s always a tragedy when things like this happen, because it doesn’t matter what nationality, ethnic group, lifestyle, religious affiliation one is associated with. A lot of what happens could be avoided if the ones in Traffic Control Towers had capable people in charge and handling flights properly, in an orderly fashion, and were “quick on their feet” as it were to handle the unexpected efficiently. That’s why DEI should not be part of the hiring practices for such a vital position we see going on here.

  2. Lynn Simmons

    January 31, 2025 at 11:43 am

    I read that the Black Hawk helicopter was heading straight for the AA Airliner! My question is why? How could this happen?

  3. Robert L Hamilton

    January 31, 2025 at 9:18 pm

    The Airliner was diverted to land on a different runway causing it to move to the right into the flight path of helicopters.

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