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American Airlines Regional Aircraft Collides With Helicopter At DCA, Crashes Into Potomac River
There is breaking news coming from Washington DC’s Reagan National Airport (DCA), where an American Airlines regional flight collided with a military helicopter and reportedly crashed into the Potomac River. This happened less than 30 minutes ago, and emergency services are responding to the scene, […]
There is breaking news coming from Washington DC’s Reagan National Airport (DCA), where an American Airlines regional flight collided with a military helicopter and reportedly crashed into the Potomac River.
This happened less than 30 minutes ago, and emergency services are responding to the scene, trying to rescue survivors and salvage the aircraft in the pitch-black winter night.
Washington Raegan National Airport, airport code DCA, is the city airport in Washington, D.C., and it is very popular due to its close proximity to the city center, unlike Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia.
As this is a developing story, here is some basic information as reported by CBS:
At least one aircraft crashed Wednesday evening over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan International Airport outside Washington, D.C., officials said, grounding all flights at the airport.
The District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department reported in a social media post that a small aircraft crashed in the Potomac River in the “vicinity” of the airport.
The airport also said in a post on X that all takeoffs and landings at DCA had been halted.
“Emergency personnel are responding to an aircraft incident on the airfield. The terminal remains open,” the airport said.
The flight involved is reportedly American Eagle flight AA5342 and the other aircraft is a helicopter.
The accident happened during the landing of the CRJ700 regional jet, inbound from Wichita, Kansas.
American Airlines has confirmed this on X:
We’re aware of reports that American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, with service from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been involved in an incident. We will provide information as it becomes available.
— americanair (@AmericanAir) January 30, 2025
Reagan National Airport has posted on X that all operations are halted due to the accident:
All takeoffs and landings have been halted at DCA. Emergency personnel are responding to an aircraft incident on the airfield. The terminal remains open. Will update.
— Reagan Airport (@Reagan_Airport) January 30, 2025
The collision was caught on a livestream cam from the Kennedy Center:
There is also a livestream at the moment:
Going down in the Potomac at such a cold winter night is absolutely horrible, let’s hope that the emergency services are successful and if you’re someone who prays maybe now would be a good time.
This unfortunate accident is a reminder of the 1982 crash of Air Florida Flight 90 into the Potomac, a little over 43 years ago on January 13, 1982.
Conclusion
An aircraft collision at Washington’s DCA Airport near downtown DC has shut down the airport and emergency services are currently responding.
As per news reports, a CRJ700 regional flight of American Eagle from Wichita, KS, collided with a military helicopter, after which at least one of the aircraft crashed into the Potomac River.
We’ll update this story as it develops.
