In this article, the midair collision of a military helicopter and an American Airlines regional jetliner near Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night marks the end of a period of commercial air travel safety that was unprecedented in previous generations. This incident is the deadliest air disaster on U.S. soil in over 20 years.
Officials announced on Thursday morning that the operation had transitioned from a recovery mission to a rescue operation, with no survivors reported. Chief John Donnelly of Washington’s Fire and EMS stated that 27 bodies had been recovered by that time.
American Eagle Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, was on its approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport at an altitude of around 300 feet when a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter carrying three individuals collided with the commercial jetliner. The American flight had 60 passengers and four crew members on board, operated by American subsidiary carrier PSA Airlines. The aircraft involved was a Bombardier CRJ700, a regional jet typically used for shorter routes.
Rescuers worked urgently to retrieve passengers from the cold waters of the Potomac River on Wednesday night, although local authorities noted that the challenging conditions were exacerbated by strong winds.
The U.S. has experienced a significant period without fatal commercial airline accidents. The most recent deadly crash involving a U.S. commercial passenger airline took place in February 2009 when Continental Flight 3407 crashed into a house upon arrival in Buffalo, New York, resulting in the deaths of all 49 individuals on board and one person on the ground.
Following the crash of the turboprop aircraft, federal regulations were implemented mandating increased rest and training for pilots. The most memorable recent incident was the crash of American Airlines Flight 587, an Airbus A300 that went down in November 2001 shortly after departing from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport en route to the Dominican Republic, resulting in the loss of all 260 individuals on board and five others on the ground in Queens.
Airplane accidents have become exceedingly rare, a trend often attributed to the presence of overlapping and redundant safety protocols. Jeff Guzzetti, a retired air safety investigator from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration, emphasized the high level of safety in aviation, even in light of this recent tragedy.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will spearhead an investigation into the Wednesday accident, collaborating with the FAA, American Airlines, labor unions representing crew members, and other relevant parties. While a preliminary report will be issued, the final report determining the cause or causes of the crash may take several months or more than a year to complete.
Investigators will scrutinize air traffic control recordings, training documentation, and cockpit voice and data recorders if recovered, among other factors. The incident poses a challenge for President Donald Trump early in his new term, as he has yet to nominate a permanent head of the Federal Aviation Administration following the departure of Mike Whitaker, who was appointed by Biden and stepped down on January 20 at the start of Trump’s term.
In 2023, the FAA outlined a safety enhancement plan aimed at further improving safety and preventing all “close calls” at airports.
