# American Eagle Flight 5342

On January 29, 2025, American Eagle Flight 5342, a flight from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C. operated on behalf of American Eagle, collided with a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk operated by the United States Army. The collision occurred over the Potomac River while the Bombardier CRJ-701ER operating the route was on final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The helicopter subsequently crashed into the river, as confirmed by the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department.
It was the first fatal accident of the Bombardier CRJ-700 and the third hull-loss of said type. It was also the first fatal accident for American Airlines since Flight 587 on November 12, 2001. This is also the very first commercial Mid-Air Collision to happen in the United States since Aeromexico Flight 498.

## Background

American Eagle Flight 5342 operated by PSA Airlines departed from Wichita, Kansas, and was en route to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The aircraft involved was a Bombardier CRJ-701ER, a regional jet commonly used for short- to medium-haul flights. Its registration number was N709PS. It was delivered to US Airways Express on October 29, 2004 and was operated by MidAtlantic Airways before being transferred to PSA Airlines on January 25, 2005. The aircraft was transferred to American Eagle on December 9, 2013, when US Airways and American merged together. The plane was carrying 60 passengers and 4 crew members.
The helicopter was reported to be a U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk. The callsign was PAT25. Priority Air Transport flights are reserved for Executive or VIP transport. The military helicopter had departed from Fort Belvoir and was carrying three United States soldiers at the time of the crash; there were no VIP passengers aboard.
Less than thirty seconds prior to the crash, an air traffic controller asked the military helicopter if it had Flight 5342 in sight. A few seconds prior to their collision, the air traffic controller ordered the helicopter to pass behind Flight 5342.

## Crash

At 8:47 p.m. ET, American Eagle Flight 5342 collided with a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk operated by the U.S. Army, which exploded, then crashed into the Potomac River. Another video shows a brief trail of fire. The incident was captured by a webcam at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Bombardier CRJ-701ER "split in half in the Potomac River", while the helicopter came to rest in the river, upside down and near the crashed plane.
Moments after the crash, DCA air traffic controllers routed traffic to nearby airports, including Dulles International Airport and Baltimore/Washington International Airport. National Airport was subsequently shut down.

## Recovery

The collision was first reported to Metropolitan Police at 8:53 p.m. EST. Emergency personnel, including the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, were dispatched to the scene. Fireboats were deployed to the crash site in the Potomac River to search for victims and survivors. Initial reports from rescue teams indicated that victims from the collision had been located. Maryland State Police mobilized divers to the crash site. Emergency responses were hampered by cold temperatures and ice, with the closest buoy to the crash site recording a 35 °F (2 °C) water temperature.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation stated that it would aid in response efforts, and claimed that no indications of terrorism or criminality were apparent regarding the incident.

### Casualties

According to The Washington Post, dead bodies were pulled from the Potomac River.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority dispatched "warming buses" to aid in relief efforts.

## Investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration said they will investigate the collision.

## Responses
### Aviation

Following the collision, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport suspended all takeoffs and landings. The airport was closed through Friday at 5:00 a.m. EST. American Airlines launched a hotline for those whose loved ones were passengers on Flight 5342. The National Transportation Safety Board prepared an investigation team to send to the site of the accident.

### Federal

U.S. President Donald Trump was briefed on the collision shortly after it occurred and is currently monitoring the situation. In a public statement, he referred to the crash as a "terrible accident" and thanked emergency responders, saying "May God Bless their souls" regarding the victims. Vice President JD Vance stated on X that he was monitoring the incident. Sean Duffy, who had been sworn in as Secretary of Transportation the previous day, said that he was monitoring developments from FAA headquarters. Kansas Senators Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran stated that they were communicating with authorities regarding the collision. Don Beyer, U.S. representative for Virginia's 8th congressional district where the airport is located, stated that he was in contact with airport officials regarding the crash.

### State

Governor of Maryland Wes Moore raised Maryland's Emergency Operations Center status to "Enhanced" to aid recovery operations. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly said that she was in contact with authorities regarding the collision. Governor of Virginia Glenn Youngkin siad that first responders from Northern Virginia were being sent to assist with recovery efforts.