In this article, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom stated on Thursday morning that the regional jet involved in a collision with a Black Hawk military helicopter near Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night was following a standard flight path.
The collision between American Eagle Flight 5342 and the helicopter happened around 9 p.m. on Wednesday, with officials not anticipating any survivors.
Isom mentioned at a press conference on Thursday morning, “At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft.”
He also noted in a staff communication on Thursday that the National Transportation Safety Board would be the primary source of information moving forward, emphasizing the importance of accuracy.
PSA Airlines is a subsidiary of American Airlines and one of its regional carriers. American Eagle is the branding for American Airlines’ regional flights.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated at the press conference, “It is not common for aircraft to collide. I want to be clear on that.” He added, “But before the collision, the flight paths taken by the military and American were not unusual for the D.C. airspace.”
Isom mentioned that the airline has mobilized its care team to support recovery efforts, expressing deep sympathy for the passengers, crew members, and individuals on the military aircraft.
The commercial jet was en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and was close to landing when both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River.
Isom encouraged individuals to contact American’s helpline at 1-800-679-8215 for information about their loved ones.
He shared that American’s response team had been dispatched to Washington to provide assistance to the families and loved ones of passengers and crew members. The flight had 60 passengers and four crew members, including American and Russian elite figure skaters, coaches, and family members returning from a training camp in Wichita, as stated by U.S. Figure Skating.
Isom mentioned that American is collaborating with local, state, and federal authorities in the recovery operations, with PSA Airlines cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board’s inquiry.
“I understand that there are numerous questions at this early stage that I may not be able to answer, but we will provide further details as they become available,” Isom stated.
