Photo Credit: Getty Images
A midair collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport on January 29, 2025, has left emergency crews scrambling in the icy Potomac River. The FAA confirmed the Bombardier CRJ700, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members from Wichita, Kansas, struck the helicopter during its approach to Runway 33 at 9 p.m. local time. Both aircraft plummeted into the river, triggering a multi-agency search-and-rescue operation amid freezing 35-degree waters—conditions that grant a mere 15–30 minutes of survival before hypothermia-induced unconsciousness.
Eyewitnesses described an explosion captured by EarthCam footage, with flames illuminating the night sky. Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), whose Houston-to-D.C. flight landed minutes before the crash, posted on X: "My thoughts are with all involved... Hoping first responders find survivors." Maryland Gov. Wes Moore elevated the state's Emergency Operations Center to "Enhanced" status, coordinating with Virginia and D.C. authorities. "We're engaged in response," Moore emphasized, though casualty figures remain unconfirmed as dive teams scour the river.
The helicopter, identified as a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk, carried three Army soldiers. A Pentagon official confirmed no senior officials were aboard, while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted the military is "poised to assist." Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, sworn in just hours earlier, monitored operations from FAA headquarters, underscoring the gravity of his first day in office.
The crash has evoked memories of the 1982 Air Florida Flight 90 disaster, which killed 78 after striking the 14th Street Bridge. That tragedy, attributed to pilot error and icy conditions, revolutionized winter aviation protocols. "The Air Florida crash was a major catalyst for safety advances," the FAA acknowledged in a retrospective report. Yet the Potomac's dark waters again tested emergency readiness, with Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) urging global prayers: "There are no words to make this easier."
The NTSB has mobilized a go-team to determine the cause, focusing on air traffic control communications, aircraft maintenance, and weather. American Airlines, which services 25% of Reagan National's 6 million annual passengers, faces scrutiny over the CRJ700's flight path. Meanwhile, residents near the airport recounted harrowing near-misses. "The plane was minutes from landing," said local Josie, who watched the collision from her rooftop. "It's so sad."
As dawn broke, questions loomed: How did two aircraft breach shared airspace? Could updated radar systems have prevented the clash? While Vice President JD Vance appealed for hope—"Let's pray for everyone involved"—the incident reignited debates over urban airspace congestion.
As Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) noted, "First responders are doing God's work tonight." Their race against time in the Potomac's frigid grip provides a lot of hope in the rescue attempts.
