American Airlines regional jet with 64 on board collides midair with helicopter

The PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jetliner collided with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter around 9 pm ET.

An American Airlines regional jet reportedly collided midair with a military helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The plane was coming from Wichita, Kansas. A person familiar with the details said the flight was carrying 64 people, CNBC reported.

A view of emergency response looking from Arlington, Va., south of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, across the Potomac River toward the District of Columbia, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)(AP)

Reagan Airport announced in an X post, “All takeoffs and landings have been halted at DCA. Emergency personnel are responding to an aircraft incident on the airfield. The terminal remains open. Will update.”

DC Fire and EMS Department wrote in a post, “Confirmed small aircraft down in Potomac River vicinity Reagan National Airport. Fireboats on scene.”

Bodies pulled out from Potomac

The PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jetliner collided with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter around 9 pm ET while the passenger jet was on approach to Runway 33 at the airport, the FAA said. On board the flight were 60 passengers and four crew members. The helicopter was an Army Black Hawk, according to a defense official and an Army official.

According to local officials, at least one aircraft was in the Potomac River. There was a large presence of emergency responders. According to the airline’s website, its CRJ-700 aircraft have 65 seats. The National Transportation Safety Board will be leading the investigation into the incident.

People familiar with the situation have reportedly said that multiple bodies have been pulled by police from the Potomac after the crash apparently killed several individuals. In a statement, president Donald Trump said he has been briefed on the "terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport." "May God Bless their souls," he said in the statement posted on X by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

Meanwhile, Gov. Wes Moore has said that “the State of Maryland and local authorities are engaged in response.” “We are closely monitoring the aviation collision incident that occurred earlier this evening near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport,” he added in the X post.