Plane Crashes After Collision with Helicopter Near DC
An American Airlines plane crashed into the Potomac River after a collision with a military helicopter on Wednesday night.
by COLlive Editor · COLliveDC Fire and EMS (DCFD) said an American Airlines aircraft crashed into the Potomac River Wednesday night.
In a joint statement from DCFD and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), officials said that multiple calls came in for an aircraft crash above the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport (DCA) just after 8:50 p.m.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said that preliminarily, investigators believe that a regional jet with American Airlines that was approaching DCA’s runways collided with a helicopter.
According to CNN, the plane, American Airlines Flight 5342, had 60 passengers and 4 crew members on board and had departed from Wichita, Kansas, according to the airline.
Witnesses reported seeing a “massive
crash” and hearing a loud boom, followed by a massive rescue response.
The White House confirmed a military helicopter was involved in the incident.
“I have called over to my counterparts at the White House, and I can confirm that President Trump has been made aware of this situation,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
“And tragically, it appears that a military helicopter collided with a regional jet at DCA airport right here in Washington, DC. That’s all I can confirm at this point in time.”
The US Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided with the passenger aircraft had a crew of three and was not carrying any VIPs, according to a US defense official.
Senior Army officials often use Black Hawks for travel in the Washington, DC, area.
Fireboats are on the scene at the Potomac River in Arlington, the DC Fire and EMS Department posted to X just after 9 p.m.
All takeoffs and landings have been halted at at Reagan National Airport, the airport announced on X.
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