Officials Investigate Fatal Crash Involving American Airlines Jet, Army Helicopter Near D.C.

What Happened?

Officials are investigating after a jet carrying 60 passengers and four crew members fatally collided with an Army helicopter and plummeted into the Potomac River near Washington, D.C.

According to reports, American Eagle Flight No. 5342, an American Airlines regional jetliner, was on a flight from Wichita, Kansas.

The jet later collided midair around 9 p.m. Wednesday near Reagan National Airport with a Black Hawk helicopter that was reportedly on a training exercise.

Officials said Thursday that everyone on board the two aircraft is feared to be dead as searches have continued.

Three soldiers were onboard the U.S. Army's Sikorsky H-60 helicopter when it crashed, officials told CBS News.

As of Thursday morning, 27 bodies have been reportedly recovered from the plane and one from the helicopter.

District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Chief John Donnelly told reporters that rescue efforts have switched to a recovery operation.

Among those on the airline flight were reportedly teen U.S. Figure Skating members, their mothers, and Russian coaches.

'This will have long-reaching impacts for our community,' said CEO Doug Zeghibe of the Skating Club of Boston during a Thursday news conference.

Why it Matters

Air traffic controllers had reportedly asked the American Airlines flight pilots if they were able to land on a shorter runway a few minutes prior.

After the pilots agreed, controllers cleared the jet to land, according to the Associated Press.

Officials also said flight tracking sites showed the jet adjust its approach to the new runway.

Shortly before the collision, an air traffic controller reportedly asked the Army helicopter operators if it had the arriving jet in view.

After the controller reportedly made another radio call to inform the helicopter operators to wait for the jet to pass by, there was no reply.

Seconds later, the two aircraft collided.

Reports say the jet's radio transponder stopped transmitting about 2,400 feet short of the runway.

President Donald Trump addressed the crash during a White House briefing Thursday as he criticized the former Biden administration and diversity initiatives.

The president did not offer any evidence linking the former administration's policies to the crash.

Instead, he announced increased standards for members who operate within the aviation industry and appointed Christopher Rocheleau as acting commissioner of the FAA.

On Truth Social, Trump first reacted to the crash with questions like 'why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane?'

Trump added, 'This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented.'

How it Affects You

Before the incident, the FAA did not have a permanent head after former administrator Mike Whitaker stepped down the day Trump took office.

This tragic event reportedly marks the deadliest U.S. plane crash in more than two decades.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters he acknowledged there was 'some sort of an elevation issue.'

'The military does dangerous things. It does routine things on a regular basis. Tragically...a mistake was made,' Hegseth added.