What we know so far about the crash

According to a report by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), a passenger plane collided mid-air with a helicopter near Ronald Reagan Airport outside Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, with no survivors expected. The passenger plane crashed into the Potomac River after the collision, carrying 64 passengers and crew members. There were three people on the helicopter, described by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as "experienced crew members."

Among the passengers on the plane were also American and Russian figure skaters, a piece of information confirmed by officials from the U.S. Figure Skating Association and a Boston-based club. Currently, authorities are conducting search operations in the icy waters, which have now transitioned into a body recovery effort.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) stated that around 9:00 PM local time on Wednesday (02:00 GMT), an American Airlines Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, collided with a U.S. Army helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The passenger plane broke into several pieces and sank several feet to the riverbed, while the helicopter flipped upside down on the surface of the water. American Airlines stated that the Bombardier CRJ700 passenger plane had departed from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and 4 crew members.

According to updated information from officials, the helicopter was a Sikorsky H-60, which had taken off from Fort Belvoir, Virginia, with three soldiers on board, belonging to Company B of the 12th Aviation Battalion. Hegseth stated that the helicopter was conducting an annual proficiency flight and performing a night evaluation, with the crew equipped with night vision goggles. The Defense Secretary stated that names and ranks would not be released until families have been notified. Online recordings of air traffic control conversations show that controllers attempted to warn the helicopter about the American Airlines plane seconds before the collision.

The helicopter pilot seemed to respond confirming they were aware of a plane in the vicinity, but seconds later, the two aircraft collided. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters on Thursday, "I would say the helicopter was aware there was an aircraft in the area." The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) began its first day of a full investigation on Thursday and plans to release a preliminary report within 30 days. Officials have retrieved the data recorders from the aircraft and will investigate the potential causes of the crash, including human error. Hegseth stated he expects the investigation to quickly determine whether the helicopter was flying in the correct corridor and at the correct altitude. NTSB officials stated on Thursday that the helicopter appeared to have moved from one corridor to another in a standard procedure.

Officials believe there are no survivors from the accident. So far, 27 bodies have been recovered from the plane and 1 body from the helicopter. The U.S. Figure Skating Association stated, "Several members of our skating community were tragically on this flight," including athletes, coaches, and family members returning from a training camp in Kansas. The Kremlin confirmed that Russian citizens were also on board, after local media reported that figure skating coaches and former world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov were also on the plane. Approximately 300 rescue workers were deployed in rubber boats to search for survivors, with rescuers saying, "The challenge is getting to the scene; there is wind, ice, and a dangerous and difficult working environment."

Eyewitness Ari Schulman told NBC Washington that he saw the plane crash while driving on the George Washington Parkway, which runs parallel to the airport. He said the plane’s approach seemed normal until he saw it make a sharp right turn, with a "series of sparks" appearing on the bottom, illuminating the belly of the aircraft. He immediately felt that something was "very, very wrong." He had seen planes land there before, and he said the bottom of the plane should not be visible in the dark. He said the sparks looked like a "giant Roman candle" extending from the nose to the tail of the aircraft.

Jimmy Mazeo said he saw the crash while having dinner with his girlfriend in a park near the airport. He recalled seeing a "white flash" in the sky. He said the plane approaching Ronald Reagan Airport appeared to be flying in an "irregular pattern." Mr. Mazeo said he didn't pay much attention to what he was seeing until emergency services began to arrive at the scene.

At a press conference on Thursday, President Trump stated that the U.S. is "in mourning." He also attacked his political opponents, accusing them of hiring "mediocre" employees for air traffic control jobs. He reiterated his attacks on the efforts to promote diversity in the federal workforce under former President Joe Biden, implying that the standards of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been lowered. Trump said he and his team had "strong opinions and thoughts" about what happened, but he acknowledged that the investigation was still in its early stages. He also announced the appointment of Chris Rocheleau as the interim head of the FAA. The agency's top position, as well as the positions of director and deputy director, have been vacant since Trump took office.

Such major accidents are relatively rare in the United States. According to a list compiled by Reuters, the most recent similar crash occurred in 2009. In that year, a plane crashed while landing in Buffalo, New York, killing all 49 people on board and one person on the ground. The airspace over Washington, D.C., is both busy and highly controlled. It is used for domestic and international traffic, utilizing two airports, and has additional factors such as presidential flights, heavy military traffic, and flights around the Pentagon. BBC transport correspondent Sean Dilley stated that passenger planes must follow fixed flight plans. In uncontrolled airspace, military pilots operate under the strict instructions of air traffic controllers, but unlike their civilian counterparts, they have the freedom to deviate and have the obligation to "see and avoid" other aircraft.