A tragic aviation accident has shaken the nation after American Eagle Flight 5342 crashed into the Potomac River following a mid-air collision with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter. The devastating crash, which occurred as the plane was approaching Reagan National Airport for landing, has left no expected survivors. With 60 passengers and four crew members aboard the commercial flight and three soldiers in the military aircraft, the incident is being described as the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster in over two decades.
Flight 5342 was on its final approach to Runway 33 when it collided with the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk just a few hundred feet above the water. The Army helicopter was reportedly on a routine training exercise when the crash occurred. Officials have since launched an extensive recovery operation, retrieving multiple bodies from the wreckage near Arlington, Virginia, while the search for the remaining victims continues.
View this post on Instagram
Witnesses described the crash site as chaotic, with the Black Hawk found upside down and the American Airlines plane shattered in the freezing waters of the Potomac. Aviation authorities have drawn comparisons to the 2001 American Airlines disaster in New York, where all 260 people on board perished.
In response to the tragedy, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom released a video statement expressing condolences to the victims’ families. Acknowledging the public’s demand for answers, he emphasized that the airline is fully cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation and will share further details as they become available. The airline has also established a helpline at 1-800-679-8215 to assist the families of those onboard.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that both aircraft were operating within their standard flight patterns before the collision. However, conflicting reports have raised questions about why the military helicopter was in the path of the passenger jet. While Duffy insisted the flight patterns were routine, he also admitted that the accident appeared preventable based on the information available so far.
Former President Donald Trump expressed outrage over the incident, taking to social media to demand accountability. He questioned why the helicopter did not change its course and why air traffic control failed to intervene. Calling the situation unacceptable, he insisted that the tragedy could and should have been avoided.
As investigators work to piece together the exact cause of the crash, Reagan National Airport is set to resume normal operations by 11 a.m. Thursday. While airlines will determine individual flight schedules, authorities assure the public that safety remains the top priority as the nation mourns this catastrophic loss.
