On Wednesday night, a serious aviation accident occurred during the approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA/KDCA), in Washington, D.C.
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A Bombardier CRJ700 (registration number N709PS), operated by PSA Airlines on American Airlines flight 5342, collided mid-air with a military Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, resulting in the civilian aircraft crashing into the Potomac River.
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According to preliminary reports, the CRJ700 departed from Wichita, Kansas, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, including two pilots.
The collision occurred around 9:00 PM (local time) as the aircraft was approaching runway 33 at Reagan Airport.
The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter (registration number 00-26860) was conducting a training flight with three military personnel on board, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.
A CCTV camera captured the moment of the collision. Witnesses at the scene reported that the CRJ700 broke into two pieces upon hitting the water, while the helicopter was found upside down and almost entirely submerged.
Rescue and Fatalities
Rescue teams were quickly deployed to the crash site. So far, 19 bodies have been recovered from the Potomac River. Only four passengers from the CRJ700 were initially rescued alive in the first hours after the crash, but preliminary reports indicate there are no survivors in the disaster.
Airport Closure
The CEO of the regional airport authority announced that Reagan Airport will remain closed until at least 11:00 AM on Thursday to allow rescue and investigation operations.
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Ongoing Investigation
Aviation and military authorities have already launched investigations to determine the causes of the accident. Reports suggest that moments before the collision, the control tower dispatcher had requested confirmation from the helicopter crew about the presence of the approaching civilian aircraft.
More details are expected to be released as the search and wreckage analysis continue. The case is being closely monitored by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
Images: x @aletweetsnews / Wikipedia. This content was created with AI assistance and reviewed by the editorial team.
