Major Air Collision Near Washington, D.C.
Passenger Plane and Military Helicopter Crash Over Potomac River

Image: Getty Images
A major aviation accident occurred in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night when a passenger plane collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The wreckage of both aircraft fell into the Potomac River.
Footage from EarthCam captured the exact moment of the collision, showing a bright flash in the sky upon impact. CBS News shared the video on its X (formerly Twitter) handle.
Rescue Efforts Underway
Reports indicate that the passenger aircraft was carrying 64 people. Emergency responders, including nearly 300 rescue personnel, launched a large-scale search and recovery operation. Divers are struggling to locate survivors due to the frigid river water, which is complicating rescue efforts.
Details of the Incident
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the collision occurred around 9:00 PM local time when an American Airlines regional jet, a Bombardier CRJ-701, was approaching the runway. By 11:30 PM, authorities had recovered 18 bodies, with no survivors found at that time.
Investigators are now working to determine how such a crash occurred in a highly monitored airspace. The incident raises concerns about coordination between aircraft in Washington’s crowded airspace, despite modern collision-avoidance technology and air traffic control systems.