Military Black Hawk helicopter collides midair with American Airlines jet

A large-scale search and rescue operation was launched following a midair collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines jet at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on Wednesday evening.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet and a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter collided while the jet was approaching Runway 33 at Reagan National Airport (DCA) around 9 p.m. local time. The PSA aircraft, operating as American Airlines Flight 5342, had departed from Wichita, Kansas. Authorities have yet to confirm casualties or determine the cause of the crash.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that President Donald Trump was briefed on the situation and described it as tragic. Trump later issued a statement expressing condolences and gratitude to first responders, pledging to monitor developments closely.

American Airlines confirmed that 60 passengers and four crew members were aboard the CRJ-700. “Our priority is the safety of our passengers and crew,” the airline stated, adding that it was assisting authorities with emergency response efforts.

An Army official confirmed that three soldiers were aboard the helicopter at the time of the collision. The Army identified the aircraft as a UH-60 Black Hawk from Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, based at Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir, and stated that they were working with local officials to gather more information.

Jack Potter, CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, announced that flights at the airport would resume at 11 a.m. Thursday.

At the time of the crash, weather conditions at Reagan National Airport were reported as clear skies, 10 miles of visibility, and northwesterly winds at 16 mph, gusting to 26 mph, with a temperature of 50 degrees.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was sworn in earlier that day, arrived at the scene and directed the Department of Transportation and the FAA to fully support the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and other responding agencies. He also spoke with officials, including Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, offering federal assistance.

The FBI’s Washington Field Office confirmed that its National Capital Response Squad was assisting with the investigation. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that all available U.S. Coast Guard resources had been deployed for search and rescue efforts.

DC Fire and EMS Department reported that fireboats were on-site, and Fire Chief John A. Donnelly, Sr., noted that approximately 300 emergency personnel were involved in response efforts.

Air traffic control communications before the crash indicated that controllers had asked the commercial jet if it could land on the shorter Runway 33, to which the pilots agreed. Shortly afterward, a controller asked the helicopter if it had visual contact with the approaching jet. The helicopter responded on a separate frequency used for helicopters. Seconds later, another pilot reported witnessing the collision.

A video posted on X captured what appeared to be a midair explosion near the Potomac River.

Trump later commented on Truth Social, questioning why the helicopter did not take evasive action and criticizing the control tower’s handling of the situation. Vice President JD Vance urged the public to pray for those involved, while American Airlines CEO Robert Isom announced that a “go team” was en route to the scene, with a helpline established for concerned families at 1-800-679-8215.

Kansas Governor Laura Kelly acknowledged that a flight from Wichita was involved and was in contact with authorities. Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas also expressed condolences, asking for prayers and pledging to seek further details on the incident.

This collision marks the first fatal U.S. commercial airline crash since 2009, when Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo, New York, killing all 49 people on board and one person on the ground.