Particle.news
Download on the App Store
40 ARTICLES
·
3mo ago

Mid-Air Collision Over Washington, D.C. Kills 67, Prompts Safety Concerns

A passenger jet and military helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport, raising questions about air traffic control, pilot decisions, and aviation safety systems.

A plane flies as people attend a candlelight vigil for the victims of the collision between American Eagle flight 5342 and a Black Hawk helicopter that crashed into the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S., February 5, 2025. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File Photo
Authorities with the NTSB, in coordination with SUPSALV, recover the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk, along the Potomac River, in Arlington, Va., on Feb. 6, 2025.
Image

Overview

  • An American Eagle passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided over the Potomac River on January 29, killing all 67 people aboard both aircraft.
  • Preliminary investigations suggest the helicopter may have been flying above its approved altitude and off its designated route during the crash.
  • Air traffic control staffing and communication issues are under scrutiny, with reports indicating one controller was managing both airplane and helicopter traffic at the time.
  • The helicopter crew had requested 'visual separation' but may have misidentified the passenger jet, potentially exacerbated by the use of night-vision goggles in a congested airspace.
  • The NTSB is leading the investigation and has recovered flight recorders and wreckage; a preliminary report is expected within 30 days, with a full report anticipated in 12–24 months.