An American Airlines passenger jet collided with a U.S Army helicopter on Wednesday night while landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington D.C. The incident has prompted widespread coverage from news outlets such as AP, CNN, New York Times, ABC, and more.
According to AP, the crash occurred around 9 p.m. ET as American Airlines flight 5342 was approaching Reagan National Airport. The plane experienced a sudden loss of altitude when it was about 400 feet in the air. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of casualties. The aircraft was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members. Rescue teams are currently conducting a search operation near the Potomac River to locate any potential survivors.
The plane was originally scheduled to land on Runway 33 but was redirected by air traffic controllers. A controller had communicated with the Black Hawk helicopter less than a minute before the collision, asking if it had visual contact with the incoming plane and advising it to pass behind the aircraft. Despite these instructions, the collision still occurred shortly thereafter.
President Donald Trump issued a statement following the incident, expressing his condolences and gratitude to the first responders involved in the rescue efforts. He assured the public that he was closely monitoring the situation and would provide updates as necessary.
This tragic event marks the first domestic airline crash since 2009 when Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed near Buffalo, NY, resulting in the loss of all 50 passengers and crew members on board. The aviation industry will undoubtedly review this incident to determine the cause and prevent similar tragedies in the future.
