A commercial regional jet crashed in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night, Washington’s fire and emergency department said. The Federal Aviation Administration said that an American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kan., had collided midair with a Black Hawk helicopter while approaching the airport.
An Army official said that the helicopter was one of its own.
The plane, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter about 9 p.m. while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport, the F.A.A. said. American Airlines PSA airlines is a regional airline that is part of the American Airlines Group.
American Airlines said in a statement that it was aware of reports of the episode. The Bombardier CRJ700 jet is configured with 65 seats, according to the airline.
All takeoffs and landings were halted at the airport as emergency personnel responded to an “aircraft incident on the airfield,” the airport said in a statement.
Shortly after 9 p.m., the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department said in a social media post that a small aircraft was down in Potomac River near the airport. The emergency service said that boats managed by the fire department were on the scene.
There were 60 passengers and four crew members onboard the plane at the time of the collision, American Airlines said in a statement.
American Airlines added: “Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts.”
With 60 passengers, the flight was nearly full, with only five empty passenger seats.
Credit: New York Times
