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Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Midair collision of plane and military helicopter leaves 67 dead. Here's what we know
On the night of Wednesday, Jan. 29, an American Airlines commercial airliner from Wichita, Kansas collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., killing 67 people. The midair collision, which was caught on camera, produced a fiery explosion and both the plane and helicopter crashed into the river. Following are summaries of news updates and information from McClatchy publications around the U.S. Links to all original stories are included in the headline at the top of each summary. No survivors found from crash D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said on Thursday, Jan. 30 that authorities were 'switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,' adding that 'we don't believe there are any survivors.' 67 people are presumed dead. The CRJ-700 Bombardier was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members; the chopper was involved in a training flight with three soldiers aboard. The bodies of 28 people had been recovered by early Thursday, and efforts to find the remains of other passengers were underway. Family members and mourners gather at Wichita City Hall Hundreds of mourners gathered in Wichita, Kansas on Thursday to share their love and support for the families and victims of the American Airlines crash. Almost every seat in the city hall council chamber was filled. Resources available for families of Wichita flight Anyone looking for information about their loved ones on board Flight 5342 are being asked to call American Airlines at 1-800-679-8215. The airline also set up a webpage where updated information on the flight will be shared. The National Transportation Safety Board can connect family members with the American Red Cross to provide short-term counseling and referrals free of charge. In some cases the Red Cross can also provide longer-term mental health service referrals. They can also connect family members with other appropriate resources as well as serve as the well as serve as the primary source of contact to answer family members' questions and provide investigation updates. Trump blames DEI, helicopter pilot, democrats for D.C. plane crash Trump on Thursday sought to cast blame for what caused a Wednesday night's crash between a passenger flight from Wichita and an Army Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, D.C. After a brief moment of silence for the victims and calling it a dark and excruciating night in the nation's history, Trump started pointing fingers. He blamed the Democratic Party, initiatives to promote diversity in the Federal Aviation Administration and the pilot of the Black Hawk helicopter. Helicopter didn't respond to air traffic control Air traffic control received no response from a military Black Hawk helicopter seconds before it collided with American Airlines flight 5342, which was about to land at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. Air traffic control asked the helicopter pilots whether they saw the plane. 'PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight,' the controller asked, referring to the helicopter's call sign and the plane, a CRJ 700 jet. The tower received no response. Former DOT official says helicopter likely caused crash Mary Schiavo, a former assistant U.S. attorney in Kansas City and DOT inspector general from 1990 to 1996, theorizes the helicopter caused Wednesday night's crash, pointing out that Reagan National Airport requires clearance for landing, so the commercial flight was likely where it should have been. She also said it looks like the helicopter was flying too high. At least 5 with ties to Charlotte died in American Airlines DC crash, including crew A four-person American Eagle flight crew from Charlotte was onboard the plane that collided with a helicopter over the Potomac River, according to North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein and the family of the victims. Of the 67 people who died in the crash, 60 were passengers on the commercial flight, four were crew members and at least one passenger was from Wichita. Three people were on the military chopper. American Airlines CEO mourns victims of crash Robert Isom, the CEO of American Airlines, issued a video statement Wednesday night about the American Airlines crash, saying that the company is focused on helping its passengers, crew and their families. 'This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines,' Isom said, as rescue crews worked in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. At a news conference Thursday morning in Washington, Isom added: 'This is devastating. We are all hurting.' Flight crew member remembered fondly Crew members of American Airlines Flight 5342 have not officially been identified. However, Debi Epstein, the former wife of flight attendant Ian Epstein, confirmed Thursday that he was killed in the collision. 'He made flying fun for the passengers on the plane so they didn't get scared,' she said in a phone interview Thursday. 'He was always the jokester and just doing the announcements with the twist.' She said they had two children who are struggling with the loss of their father. 'Our daughter is getting married in eight weeks,' she said. 'It's just a lot.' She said Ian was an outgoing person and 'he died doing what he absolutely loved.' Congressional leaders warned about Reagan airport Months before the Jan. 29 collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army helicopter near Washington, D.C., political leaders warned that Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was overburdened. U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, of Virginia, was among the Democratic leaders opposing the expansion of flights added to the Arlington airport in 2024. Kaine, along with Maryland senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen and Virginia U.S. Senator Mark Warner, began to push back before the passage of the bipartisan Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2024. The act would add 10 additional flights at Reagan National. Jan. 29 crash wasn't the first over the Potomac The Jan. 29, 2025 plane crash into the Potomac River has drawn parallels to another tragic accident in Washington, D.C. On Jan. 13, 1982. Air Florida Flight 90 struck a bridge connecting Washington, D.C. and Arlington, Virginia, during its ascent from Ronald Reagan National Airport, then called Washington National Airport. Like the more recent crash, the plane crashed into the Potomac River and resulted in a monumental loss of life. Federal authorities said 78 people were killed — 74 people aboard the flight and four occupants of vehicles on the bridge. What to know about the CRJ 700 and Black Hawk Flight 5342 was a Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jetliner operated by PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines. CRJ-700 jetliners were developed by Bombardier Aviation and debuted in 1997. The 106-foot-long jetliner can hold up to 78 passengers. It has a range of up to 1,400 nautical miles and a strong safety record. The UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter in the crash belonged to B Company, 12th Aviation Battalion out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia. The Black Hawk is the Army's 'primary medium-lift utility transport and air assault aircraft,' and can be outfitted with machine guns and missiles. D.C. crash was first in over 15 years Wednesday's airline crash marks the first involving a commercial plane in the United States since 2009, when a Colgan Air flight went down on its way to Buffalo Niagara International Airport in New York. Fifty people died in the crash. Since then, the country has bolstered its safety standards. The Airline Safety and Federal Aviation Administration Extension Act of 2010 was passed in reaction to the 2009 crash.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
American Airlines crash in Washington, D.C., may be carrier's worst disaster in two decades
An American Airlines commuter jet with 64 people aboard collided with a military helicopter Wednesday evening during a landing approach in Washington, D.C., causing both aircraft to crash into the frigid Potomac River in what will likely to be the worst U.S. commercial aviation disaster in years. Flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines from Wichita, Kansas, to Reagan Washington National Airport, collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter at 8:48 p.m. ET. American Airlines said the CRJ-700 Bombardier was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members; the chopper was a training flight with three soldiers aboard. Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said during a 1 a.m. press conference that no information was available about casualties. Searches through the partially submerged wreckage continued overnight; conditions in the Potomac were brutal with water temperatures in the 30s. PSA Airlines, based in Dayton, Ohio, is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Airlines Group. It is not the former discount carrier Pacific Southwest Airlines, which ceased operations in 1988, but is the same trademarked brand that American owns. American CEO Robert Isom said in a video statement he would be heading to Washington on Wednesday night. 'We're cooperating fully with the National Transportation Safety Board and its investigation, and will continue to provide all the information we can. Our cooperation is without pause, and we want to learn everything we can about today's events. That work will take time.' The Fort Worth-based airline said anyone who thinks they may have a loved one on board can call 800-679-8215. The U.S. hasn't seen a commercial airline disaster in 15 years. It has been even longer since a major crash involving American Airlines, the nation's largest carrier. In November 2001, American Flight 587 crashed after takeoff from JFK Airport in New York City, killing all 260 people on board. The Airbus A300 bound for Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, encountered wake turbulence from a larger Boeing 747 aircraft that took off ahead of it. The disaster happened two months after the 9/11 attacks, which involved two hijacked American Airlines jets: Flight 11, which hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center, and Flight 77, which was flown into the Pentagon. The worst aviation accident ever in the United States was American Airlines Flight 191, which in May 1979 lost an engine during takeoff at Chicago O'Hare International Airport and crashed moments later, killing 258 passengers and 13 crew, in addition to two people on the ground. Investigators determined that improper maintenance procedures weakened the engine's connection to the wing. As the Los Angeles-bound plane sped down the runway, an engine separated and flipped over the wing, disabling crucial operating systems. Wednesday's crash in the ice-cold Potomac River is reminiscent of the Jan. 13, 1982, crash of Air Florida Flight 90, a Boeing 737 taking off during a blizzard. Ice build-up on the plane caused it to crash into the frozen river after it struck Washington's 14th Street bridge. Of 79 passengers and crew, five were rescued. That disaster is remembered for the heroic action of federal worker Lenny Skutnik, a bystander who watched a helicopter's futile effort to pull survivors from the river. He jumped into the river, swam to a victim who was about to drown, and pulled her to shore. President Ronald Reagan invited him to the State of the Union days later, which started the tradition of featuring heroes in the House gallery. Today, American Airlines has an active fleet of about 140 regional CRJ-700 aircraft, which seats 65 passengers. The planes are manufactured by the Canadian company Bombardier Aviation. The union representing flight attendants issued a statement late Wednesday: 'Our union is responding to the tragic midair collision of PSA Flight 5342 with a military helicopter. Two AFA Flight Attendants were crewing the flight. While we mobilize to support the families and crews directly affected by this incident, we are also sending strength to all first responders doing everything they can to bring survivors to safety. 'We ask the public to keep the families in your thoughts and respect efforts to get information to loved ones first as everyone clings to hope for survivors. Please avoid speculation at any time. American Airlines, with its American Eagle regional partners, operates thousands of flights a day to more than 350 cities in 60 countries. Dallas-Fort Worth is a major hub for the carrier. Wednesday's incident was the first significant fatal crash of a commercial airline in the United States since Feb. 12, 2009, when Colgan Flight 3407 went down near Buffalo, New York, killing 49 on board and one on the ground. Investigators found that pilot fatigue during icing conditions contributed to the accident. This is a developing story.
Yahoo
30-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Wichita American Airlines flight crashes in Washington, D.C., rescue attempts underway
A commercial airliner from Wichita collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, producing a fiery explosion and prompting a massive but increasingly grim search-and-rescue operation. Officials early Thursday didn't immediately confirm fatality numbers, but appeared to brace the public for a high toll. American Airlines flight 5342 was approaching Runway 33 at Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Arlington, Virginia, when it collided with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. All flights out of and landings into DCA were halted, and the debris of the plane and helicopter were in the Potomac River. The DC-bound plane, a CRJ-700 Bombardier, is designed for regional flight and can seat between 68 to 73 passengers. According to American Airlines, 60 passengers and four crew members were on board. 'My sorrow for all of the people and crew on the plane and our military personnel on the helicopter is very deep,' D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a news conference. The emergency call went out about 8:50 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, according to an audio feed of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority public safety channel captured on 'Crash, crash, crash! This is an alert 3. Crash, crash, crash! This is an alert 3. Crash, crash, crash! This is an alert 3.' 'Where is the alert 3?' 'It is off the approach into Runway 33. Approach into Runway 33.' DC Fire and EMS were leading search-and-rescue operations in and around the Potomac, along with several partner organizations, the DC Metropolitan Police Department said. A 'casualty collection point' was set up at a boathouse along the river, according to an audio feed at 9:40 p.m. At least eight victims had been pulled from the Potomac River by 10:05 p.m., the radio traffic indicated. A steady stream of rescue boats continued to arrive: 'I just had a pile of boats pull in,' said a voice at 10:21 p.m. on the audio feed. And at 10:37 p.m.: 'I'm headed to the scene with the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board).' At an early Thursday news conference, officials said they were still focused on the rescue mission, which was facing frigid temperatures and windy conditions with low visibility. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy thanked first responders and extended his prayers to families. He said he spoke with President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas appeared to indicate that the death toll was likely significant, though other officials at the news conference stopped short of confirming fatalities. 'When one person dies, it's a tragedy,' Marshall said. 'But when many, many, many people die, it's an unbearable sorrow. It's a heartbreak beyond major.' Several coaches and skaters with the United States figure skating team were on the flight, according to U.S. Figure Skating. 'These athletes, coaches, and family members were returning home from the National Development Camp held in conjunction with the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas,' the organization said in a statement. U.S. Figure Skating did not immediately provide details about who from the skating community, or how many, were on the flight. 'We are devastated by this unspeakable tragedy and hold the victims' families closely in our hearts,' the statement said. 'We will continue to monitor the situation and will release more information as it becomes available.' The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said several people associated with DCA staff were also victims of the crash. Upwards of a dozen family members of those on the Wichita flight gathered at DCA Wednesday night in a private staging area. American Airlines is asking those who think they know someone on the Wichita flight to call 1-800-679-8215. An Army spokesperson said the Black Hawk helicopter was on a training flight. The helicopter was from Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, out of Davison Army Airfield, Fort Belvoir. Emergency responders seemed to be focusing on at least five areas of the Potomac River. A large contingency of first responders was at the banks of the river off the runway of DCA. A second group of first responders was further down the river near the Capital Cove Marina off Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, where there is a Coast Guard station. First responders were driving into both the airport and north toward Washington, some carrying trailers with boats. A helicopter also joined the search by 10 p.m. Some first responders also gathered south of the Wichita flight's intended runway around 9:40 p.m., creating a second response point at DCA. Helicopters often fly along the Potomac River and the U.S. Coast Guard also has a helicopter hangar at the airport. 'I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls,' Trump said in a statement. 'Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.' The collision came amid growing concern nationally about close calls in the air. The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board warned in 2023 that the nation's air traffic safety system was 'showing clear signs of strain that we cannot ignore.' According to the NTSB, the last fatal accident involving a commercial flight in the U.S. was Feb. 12, 2009, when a Bombardier DHC-8 approaching Buffalo-Niagara International Airport crashed into a residence roughly five miles from the airport. Forty-five passengers and four crew members died. Kansas lawmakers said they were trying to gather information. Sen. Jerry Moran posted on social media that he was in contact with authorities after learning 'that a plane inbound from Kansas was involved in a crash at DCA.' Moran and Marshall were both at DCA late Wednesday. Moran could be seen sitting in the baggage claim area, making calls. 'I don't know who was on the flight, but I'm afraid it's going to be people I know,' Marshall said, adding that 'it's going to be a tough, tough several days for all of us.' Rep. Ron Estes, whose district includes Wichita, on social media called for prayer for the passengers and the first responders. American Airlines took to social media to confirm the crash. 'We're aware of reports that American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, with service from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been involved in an incident,' the airline wrote on X. 'We will provide information as it becomes available.' American Airlines CEO Robert Isom left for DC late Wednesday night, along with several other airline officials. In a video briefing, Isom referred to the crash as a 'serious accident.' 'This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines,' Isom said. 'Our efforts now are focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners, first responders, along with their families and loved ones.' American Airlines is 'cooperating fully' with the National Transportation Safety Board, Isom said, along with various local, state and federal agencies conducting emergency response efforts. 'Our cooperation is without pause, and we want to learn everything we can about today's events,' Isom said. Two flight attendants were on board the American Airlines flight, according to a statement from the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA. 'While we mobilize to support the families and crews directly affected by this incident, we are also sending strength to all first responders doing everything they can to bring survivors to safety,' CWA president Sara Nelson said Wednesday night. 'We ask the public to keep the families in your thoughts and respect efforts to get information to loved ones first as everyone clings to hope for survivors.' American Airlines crash in Washington, D.C., may be carrier's worst disaster in two decades Wichita Mayor Lily Wu shared a message of support Wednesday night for the ongoing rescue efforts and the families of the passengers on both planes. 'As a council, we really want to ask each and every Wichitan, Kansan and American to pray for everyone involved in this incident, whether involved in the incident in DC or those who are helping with the rescue efforts,' Wu said. The temperature in the Potomac River was 34 degrees Fahrenheit as of 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority will hold briefings at DCA hourly into Thursday morning, starting at 12:30 a.m. EST. DCA will reopen at 11 a.m. at the earliest, with departing flights suspended and arriving flights diverted to Dulles International Airport (IAD). Flights scheduled at IAD and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) will not be affected. A news briefing will be held at Wichita City Hall at 8 a.m. Thursday, followed by a prayer vigil at noon. This is a developing story. Check back for updates. McClatchy reporters Judy L. Thomas, Chance Swaim, Matthew Kelly and Kylie Cameron contributed reporting
