America's worst aviation disaster in decades occurs at Congress' airport
The D.C. Fire and EMS chief reported that twenty-seven bodies were recovered from the downed Bombardier CRJ700 operated by PSA Airlines, along with one body retrieved from the Sikorsky H-60 helicopter.
TroibNews 
Authorities announced Thursday morning that they believe there were no survivors in the crash involving a regional American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army helicopter late Wednesday at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly confirmed during a news conference at the airport that twenty-seven bodies had been recovered from the downed plane, a Bombardier CRJ700 operated by PSA Airlines, and one from the helicopter, a Sikorsky H-60. He noted that the aircraft was carrying sixty passengers and four crew members who had departed from Wichita, Kansas, as well as three soldiers aboard the helicopter.
“We are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” Donnelly stated. “We don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident.” He assured that his team is focused on recovering all remaining bodies and wreckage.
Sen. Tim Kaine expressed his fears regarding such a collision, highlighting concerns raised during last year’s FAA reauthorization bill discussions, where the addition of flight slots at the airport faced opposition due to safety considerations. “I've been very, very concerned about this very complex airspace — commercial, military, and the way that the security demands of being the nation's capital puts some significant restrictions on it, and I am really worried about that. And I've been praying that there wouldn't have been, there wouldn't be something like last night, but kind of dreading in my heart that there would be,” Kaine mentioned.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will conduct an investigation, and Kaine expressed trust that it will reveal the circumstances surrounding the crash. When asked about potentially reducing the number of flight slots at Reagan National, he said, “We’re going to follow the NTSB and their conclusions.”
Federal investigations into the crash have just begun.
President Donald Trump referred to the plane crash as a “tragedy of terrible proportions” while also attributing blame to diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices by Democrats. This prompted former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to respond sharply, labeling Trump’s remarks as "Despicable." "As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying," Buttigieg stated.
Sen. Roger Marshall commented in a post on X about a “confluence” of errors, asserting that air traffic control should have identified the situation and provided a warning more promptly. In contrast, Sen. Jerry Moran remarked, “Nothing has been said to me or to my knowledge in the public about any cause,” stressing that efforts were primarily focused on reaching out to families.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom indicated that the plane collided with “a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach,” and he expressed uncertainty regarding the reason for the crash. “At this time, we don’t know why the [helicopter] came into the path of the PSA aircraft,” Isom stated.
The Army confirmed that the helicopter, which was conducting a training mission, was based out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia. In a video statement on X, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the incident as part of an “annual proficiency training flight,” noting that ranks and names are being withheld to allow for notifications to next of kin. He added that the crew was “fairly experienced” and utilized night vision goggles.
The helicopter belonged to the 12th Aviation Battalion, which has instituted a 48-hour pause on contingency missions during the review of the crash.
During a Senate confirmation hearing Thursday morning, Trump’s nominee for Army secretary, Dan Driscoll, called the collision at Reagan National "an absolute tragedy" and spoke on the necessity of improving Army aviation training safety. "It's an accident that seems to be preventable, from what we can tell today," Driscoll remarked. He emphasized the need to foster a culture of safety regarding training risks.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated at the news conference that both the helicopter and jet were operating under “standard” patterns on a clear night. While he noted that both flight paths “were not unusual,” he could not comment on the actions of air traffic controllers at the time of the crash. Duffy confirmed that the helicopter was “aware” of a plane in the vicinity. Despite the occurrence, he maintained that the U.S. operates the safest airspace globally but added, “Do I think this was preventable? Absolutely.”
President Trump appointed Chris Rocheleau, an executive at an aviation business association, as the new acting FAA administrator.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal expressed hope during a hearing that all stakeholders would "redouble our efforts to ensure that the federal agencies that make the nation’s skies safe, the FAA, the NTSB, the DOT and others, have the tools, the funding, the resources, support from the Congress to prevent future tragedies like this one."
The last major fatal crash involving a U.S. airline was in 2009 near Buffalo, New York, which resulted in 49 fatalities aboard a regional jet, along with one ground casualty. The death toll from Wednesday’s incident is expected to exceed that figure.
PSA Airlines, the regional carrier operating the affected plane for American Airlines, reported that the captain had six years of experience with the airline, while the first officer had two years. Additionally, several individuals from the U.S. Figure Skating community returning from an event in Wichita were on the flight, as shared by spokesperson Alex Schauffler.
The NTSB is anticipated to hold a briefing later Thursday, as mentioned by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Connor O'Brien contributed to this report.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly confirmed during a news conference at the airport that twenty-seven bodies had been recovered from the downed plane, a Bombardier CRJ700 operated by PSA Airlines, and one from the helicopter, a Sikorsky H-60. He noted that the aircraft was carrying sixty passengers and four crew members who had departed from Wichita, Kansas, as well as three soldiers aboard the helicopter.
“We are now at a point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” Donnelly stated. “We don’t believe there are any survivors from this accident.” He assured that his team is focused on recovering all remaining bodies and wreckage.
Sen. Tim Kaine expressed his fears regarding such a collision, highlighting concerns raised during last year’s FAA reauthorization bill discussions, where the addition of flight slots at the airport faced opposition due to safety considerations. “I've been very, very concerned about this very complex airspace — commercial, military, and the way that the security demands of being the nation's capital puts some significant restrictions on it, and I am really worried about that. And I've been praying that there wouldn't have been, there wouldn't be something like last night, but kind of dreading in my heart that there would be,” Kaine mentioned.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will conduct an investigation, and Kaine expressed trust that it will reveal the circumstances surrounding the crash. When asked about potentially reducing the number of flight slots at Reagan National, he said, “We’re going to follow the NTSB and their conclusions.”
Federal investigations into the crash have just begun.
President Donald Trump referred to the plane crash as a “tragedy of terrible proportions” while also attributing blame to diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring practices by Democrats. This prompted former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to respond sharply, labeling Trump’s remarks as "Despicable." "As families grieve, Trump should be leading, not lying," Buttigieg stated.
Sen. Roger Marshall commented in a post on X about a “confluence” of errors, asserting that air traffic control should have identified the situation and provided a warning more promptly. In contrast, Sen. Jerry Moran remarked, “Nothing has been said to me or to my knowledge in the public about any cause,” stressing that efforts were primarily focused on reaching out to families.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom indicated that the plane collided with “a military aircraft on an otherwise normal approach,” and he expressed uncertainty regarding the reason for the crash. “At this time, we don’t know why the [helicopter] came into the path of the PSA aircraft,” Isom stated.
The Army confirmed that the helicopter, which was conducting a training mission, was based out of Fort Belvoir in Virginia. In a video statement on X, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described the incident as part of an “annual proficiency training flight,” noting that ranks and names are being withheld to allow for notifications to next of kin. He added that the crew was “fairly experienced” and utilized night vision goggles.
The helicopter belonged to the 12th Aviation Battalion, which has instituted a 48-hour pause on contingency missions during the review of the crash.
During a Senate confirmation hearing Thursday morning, Trump’s nominee for Army secretary, Dan Driscoll, called the collision at Reagan National "an absolute tragedy" and spoke on the necessity of improving Army aviation training safety. "It's an accident that seems to be preventable, from what we can tell today," Driscoll remarked. He emphasized the need to foster a culture of safety regarding training risks.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated at the news conference that both the helicopter and jet were operating under “standard” patterns on a clear night. While he noted that both flight paths “were not unusual,” he could not comment on the actions of air traffic controllers at the time of the crash. Duffy confirmed that the helicopter was “aware” of a plane in the vicinity. Despite the occurrence, he maintained that the U.S. operates the safest airspace globally but added, “Do I think this was preventable? Absolutely.”
President Trump appointed Chris Rocheleau, an executive at an aviation business association, as the new acting FAA administrator.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal expressed hope during a hearing that all stakeholders would "redouble our efforts to ensure that the federal agencies that make the nation’s skies safe, the FAA, the NTSB, the DOT and others, have the tools, the funding, the resources, support from the Congress to prevent future tragedies like this one."
The last major fatal crash involving a U.S. airline was in 2009 near Buffalo, New York, which resulted in 49 fatalities aboard a regional jet, along with one ground casualty. The death toll from Wednesday’s incident is expected to exceed that figure.
PSA Airlines, the regional carrier operating the affected plane for American Airlines, reported that the captain had six years of experience with the airline, while the first officer had two years. Additionally, several individuals from the U.S. Figure Skating community returning from an event in Wichita were on the flight, as shared by spokesperson Alex Schauffler.
The NTSB is anticipated to hold a briefing later Thursday, as mentioned by D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Connor O'Brien contributed to this report.
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
