Alerts Sign-up
On January 29, 2025, tragedy struck over the Potomac River as American Airlines Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, collided midair with a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter during its final approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA). The devastating incident resulted in both aircraft crashing into the icy waters below, claiming the lives of all 64 passengers and crew aboard the jet, as well as the three soldiers on board the helicopter.
Flight 5342 was originally cleared to land on Runway 01 but was instructed by ATC to sidestep to Runway 33. The reason for this change remains unclear. However, three aircraft had been waiting for departure at Runway 01 for an extended period due to a steady influx of arrivals.
Complicating matters further, a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) had been issued for DCA, stating that Runway 33 was scheduled to close from 01:50 UTC to 21:00 UTC on January 31. The crash occurred at 01:48 UTC, just minutes before the planned closure, raising questions about whether the impending shutdown contributed to the incident.
