North American aviation has seen several accidents and incidents already this year, with the crash at Washington Ronald Reagan Airport, Washington D.C being one of the most notable. On January 29, 2025, an American Eagle CRJ-700 regional aircraft crashed into the freezing Potomac River after colliding with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter, conducting a routine night vision goggle proficiency flight.
Tragically, all 67 occupants of both aircraft did not survive. American Airlines flight 5342, with 60 passengers onboard, collided with a Blackhawk VIP Transport helicopter on approach to Reagan National Airport (DCA) just over the Potomac River. Grainy nighttime security camera footage captured the flash as the two aircraft collided mid-air.
A massive search and rescue is underway. Use this as a live discussion thread as news comes out. If you have better images, you can submit them in the comments along with updates about the rescue operation.
Pray for everyone onboard. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is currently investigating the accident, with reports suggesting controller workload and staffing shortages may have contributed to the fatal crash. However, the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) has already made changes to ATC staffing rules at DCA.
NTSB: Initial findings and possible crash ccntributions On the night of the accident, a single traffic controller was left to coordinate departures and arrivals at DCA and helicopter operations. The Wall Street Journal al.
