Stateside Stories

At 20:45 EST on the 29th January 2025, American Eagle flight 5342 was about to land at Ronald Reagan airport in Washington DC, having originated in Wichita, Kansas. As it prepared to land at runway 33, it collided with a US Army helicopter that was completing a training exercise. Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River, with the American Eagle plane breaking into three pieces. There were 64 people on board the passenger plane, and 3 on board the helicopter. It is believed that nobody has survived the crash, and so far 28 bodies have been recovered from the river. 27 were passengers from the plane and 1 was a soldier from the helicopter. Many of those on board were US figure skaters returning from a national development camp in Kansas.

How did the crash happen?

The exact sequence of events are unclear, as the black box from flight 5342 has not yet been recovered. Both aircraft were on standard flight patterns, and flight conditions were good. Just before the collision, air traffic control asked those in the helicopter if they could see the passenger plane coming towards them. The helicopter was then asked to pass behind the plane. Moments later, the two aircraft collided when they were about 400ft in the air. At 20:47 a flash of very bright light was seen, and CTV footage captured the moment both aircraft plunged into the river. Witnesses recalled seeing a fireball, and the plane banked on its side with sparks coming out of it. Some said that the noise sounded like a war zone. Donald Trump stated his belief that the crash could have been avoided if those in the helicopter were given stricter instructions about what they should do. Others have also voiced their opinions that the crash was preventable.

The recovery operation

Over 300 rescue workers have been searching the river in freezing conditions to recover bodies. The river is so cold that even if anyone survived the initial crash, they would have passed away from hypothermia during the night. The rescue operation was switched to a recovery operation very early on, as the crash has been deemed unsurvivable. A recovery centre has been set up in Washington DC to receive any human remains. Boats and ambulances have already transported some human remains to red tents being used as makeshift morgues. 30 people are still missing, presumed dead. The bodies that have been pulled from the river are in the process of being identified, so loved ones can be notified. American Airlines has set up an emergency hotline, so anybody who thinks a loved one was on board can ask for information. Donald Trump is due to give a proper statement later today, and Ronald Reagan airport is expected to reopen at 11:00 EST.

The airspace, and US aviation safety

The airspace around Ronald Reagan airport is very busy. Last April, there was a near miss as a Southwest Airlines flight narrowly avoided crashing into a JetBlue flight. Many military aircraft also use the airspace, making it very congested. However, the airspace is also very tightly controlled, meaning that fatal accidents like this one are not common. This accident was the first fatal aviation accident in the USA since 2009, where a plane crashed into a house in New York, killing 46 people. However, the USA has had several fatal accidents over the years. Many of these have involved mid-air collisions. In 1956, two passenger planes collided over the Grand Canyon, killing 128. In 1960, two passenger planes collided in New York, killing 134. In 1978, a passenger airliner crashed into a private plane over San Diego, killing 144. All 3 of these accidents prompted changes in radar and air traffic control, making US airspace safer. However, as shown today, accidents can still happen as too many aircraft are forced to share the same space with each other.