A regional passenger jet from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter over the Potomac River near the nation’s capital Wednesday night.
Video captured the dramatic collision in the night sky, as two aircraft with flashing safety lights merged ino a fireball.
?#BREAKING: A significant emergency response is underway, and a mass casualty has been declared after an American Airlines jet collided with a D.C. Police helicopter in a possible midair collision.
?#Washington | #DC
Currently, a significant emergency response is underway in… pic.twitter.com/yR5GYGocQr
— R A W S A L E R T S (@rawsalerts) January 30, 2025
The White House reported President Donald Trump had been briefed and was monitoring the situation.
Details were were few in the hours after the crash. American Airlines reported 60 passengers and four crew were aboard the regional jet operated for American by PSA Airlines.
The FAA provided further details of the flight operations.
For more information, visit https://t.co/ECDOdj1kdr. pic.twitter.com/Z5vWq4vUJ2
— The FAA ✈️ (@FAANews) January 30, 2025
DC Fire and EMS confirmed the crash and deployed fireboats to the scene for rescue operations. Multiple agencies, including the Washington D.C. Police Department, responded to the incident.
There was no information available regarding casualties or the cause of the collision. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are expected to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.