Deadly Air Crash Near Washington: No Survivors Expected

The United States is facing one of its deadliest aviation disasters in decades. On the night of Wednesday, January 29, a PSA Airlines jet, a regional subsidiary of American Airlines, collided mid-air with a military helicopter near Washington, D.C., before crashing into the Potomac River. The commercial aircraft was carrying 64 people, while the Black Hawk helicopter had three crew members on board.

Search and Recovery Operations Underway

Rescue teams have been deployed to search for potential survivors in the icy waters of the Potomac. However, Washington’s fire chief, John Donnelly, announced Thursday morning that there is little hope of finding anyone alive. So far, 28 bodies have been recovered, including 27 from the passenger jet and one from the helicopter. “We do not believe there are any survivors,” Donnelly stated, marking the transition from a rescue mission to a recovery operation.

The search efforts, involving around 300 emergency responders, are being hampered by extreme weather conditions, including cold temperatures, strong winds, and ice on the river.

Details of the Collision

According to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the accident occurred as the Bombardier CRJ aircraft approached Ronald Reagan National Airport for landing at approximately 9 PM local time. At the same time, the military helicopter was conducting a routine training flight.

Air traffic control recordings reveal that the control tower had warned the helicopter of the incoming aircraft just seconds before the crash. A controller can be heard asking the helicopter pilot, “Pat 2-5, do you have the CRJ in sight?” before urgently instructing, “Pat 2-5, pass behind the CRJ.” Moments later, exclamations of shock followed, with one controller stating, “I just saw a fireball… and then it was gone.”

Witnesses near the airport described seeing the jet tilt at an extreme angle, followed by a burst of sparks before it disappeared from view. The crash site is close to where, in 1982, an Air Florida Boeing 737 crashed into the Potomac after hitting a bridge, killing 78 people.

Investigation and Official Reactions

An investigation has been launched by the U.S. military and the Department of Defense to determine the exact circumstances of the crash. U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy stated that “everything seemed normal in the moments leading up to the collision” and that both flight plans followed standard procedures. However, he admitted, “Do I think this could have been avoided? Absolutely.”

American Airlines CEO also expressed uncertainty about why the helicopter was in the jet’s flight path. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump, in an initial statement, said, “God bless them,” before later blaming the accident on the helicopter’s failure to maneuver properly. “This should have been avoided,” he wrote on Truth Social.

The tragedy has particularly affected Kansas, the jet’s departure point. Among the passengers were figure skaters, coaches, and family members returning from a national championship event. Russian media reported that former world champion pair Evgenia Chichkova and Vadim Naumov were among the victims.

The Deadliest U.S. Air Disaster Since 2001

CNN reports that this is the deadliest aviation accident in the United States since November 12, 2001, when an American Airlines flight crashed in New York, killing all 260 people on board. Wednesday night’s crash is also the first fatal commercial airline accident in the U.S. since 2009.

As the search for victims continues, Ronald Reagan National Airport has suspended all takeoffs and landings until further notice. Authorities are expected to provide more updates as the investigation progresses.