The internet is buzzing with confusion and disbelief after video footage of a shocking mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., was released. On January 29, 2025, an American Airlines jet and a military helicopter crashed into each other near Reagan Airport, sending both aircraft plummeting into the Potomac River.
The videos, shared by news outlets like the Daily Mail and NBC Washington, have left netizens stunned, with many questioning how such a tragedy could happen.
The footage, captured from a distance, shows the moment of impact. The plane, approaching the airport, is seen colliding with the helicopter, which was flying in the opposite direction.
A bright flash lights up the night sky, followed by billowing smoke as both aircraft disappear from view, crashing into the river below. The Daily Mail’s TikTok caption reads: “The airline has confirmed that there were 60 passengers and four crew members onboard Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, to the Capital when the collision happened [sic].”
The video has sparked a flood of reactions online. Many people are struggling to understand how such a collision could occur, especially in a busy airspace like Washington, D.C.
One TikTok user, who identified as a pilot, commented: “As a pilot, I’m shocked this happened. You have controllers that are meant to avoid this, & there’s less [sic] collisions actually at night cause of the anti-collision lights on each aircraft. :/” Others echoed this confusion, with one person writing: “This is so strange…” and another adding:
“No no this makes no sense on so many levels….A collision on this level at such a low altitude…??? You’re telling me air traffic control was not monitoring their path? Did the pilots have nah [sic] gear????”
Image from the plane crash tonight in Washington DC. Tragic. My heart breaks for everyone affected. pic.twitter.com/p14uxAa1Ox
— Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) January 30, 2025
Some viewers expressed their grief and disbelief. “Prayers. How is this even possible 😢,” one person wrote. Another, reacting to NBC Washington’s video, commented: “Blackhawk military helicopters can’t see other aircraft at night?? That plane has all its landing lights on.
This is unbelievable!” Others raised suspicions about the circumstances of the crash. “Are military helicopters even supposed to be in that air space? [sic] Something is not right about this. What are they trying to distract us from now?”
one TikToker pondered. Another user speculated: “That’s weird because it looks like the helicopter rammed the jet!”
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has provided some context for the incident. In a statement, they explained: “A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time.
PSA was operating as Flight 5342 for American Airlines.” The FAA also confirmed that they, along with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), are investigating the crash and will keep the public updated as more information becomes available.
Kansas Senator Roger Marshall addressed the tragedy during a briefing, offering his condolences to the victims and their families. “You know, when one person dies it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die it’s an unbearable sorrow, it’s a heartbreak beyond major,” Marshall said.
He acknowledged the immense loss suffered by the victims’ communities, particularly those in Kansas, and reflected on the state’s history of enduring tragedies like tornadoes and floods.
“We’ve been through things like this before, but it’s really hard when you lose, you know, probably over 60 Kansans simultaneously,” he said. Marshall also paid tribute to the pilots, flight attendants, and military personnel involved, emphasizing the value of their lives and service.
As the investigation continues, news outlets are providing real-time updates. CBS News reported that human remains have been found washing up along the Virginia side of the Potomac River.
The plane broke into multiple pieces upon impact, and its wreckage is now submerged in five to eight feet of water. A dive team has recovered one of the aircraft’s black boxes, though it’s unclear whether it’s the cockpit voice recorder or the flight data recorder.
Both devices could provide critical insights into what caused the collision. Divers have also retrieved luggage and debris from the cabin, while the helicopter, found upside down in the water, appears to be largely intact.
The search-and-rescue mission is massive, with approximately 300 responders working tirelessly to locate survivors and recover remains.
D.C. Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly Sr. described the challenging conditions during a press conference: “At 8:58 (p.m.), the first units arrived on the scene and found an aircraft in the water and began rescue operations. This incident has grown.”
The initial alert was triggered at 8:48 p.m., and responders have been battling dark, cold, and windy conditions as they navigate the murky waters.
Reagan National Airport has been temporarily shut down in the wake of the crash. Jack Potter, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, announced that the airport will remain closed until at least 11 a.m. ET on Thursday. However, operations at Washington Dulles International Airport remain unaffected.
A witness to the crash, Abadi Ismail, shared his account of what he saw and heard. Ismail, who lives in the Buzzard Point area near James Creek Marina, has a clear view of the Potomac River, the Anacostia River, Reagan Airport, and a nearby military base.
“I have a cinematic view, so I could see everything that is happening from the moment the crash happened [sic],” he said. Ismail was watching television when he heard a loud, unfamiliar noise.
“It was a bang, bang, very loud bang, bang. Something I’m not familiar with, something you don’t normally hear,” he recalled. Looking out his window, he saw smoke rising from the south side of the airport. Within minutes, emergency responders, including the D.C. Park Police, Coast Guard, D.C. Police, Arlington Police, and fire trucks, arrived at the scene.
“Every resource within D.C. was heading toward the crash scene. That’s when I took the video. Somewhere around 8:50 p.m. [sic],” he said.
Ismail noted that the Potomac River was partially frozen, complicating rescue efforts. “That’s another hassle that the U.S. Coast Guard has to maneuver through all this ice in order to get to the crash scene,” he explained.
Based on what he observed and heard from contacts at D.C. Park, Ismail believes the mission has shifted from search-and-rescue to recovery. “The crash scene is about two miles from where I’m at. Based on what I see, I have friends that work at the D.C. Park. Based on their analysis on the site, this is not a search and rescue mission at this point.
Unfortunately, it’s a recovery mission [sic],” he said. By 2:50 a.m. on January 30, officials confirmed that at least 19 bodies had been recovered from the river, with no survivors found.
U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the incident via Truth Social, expressing concern over how the crash unfolded. “The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time.
It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn [sic],” he wrote. Trump continued: “Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane.
This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD [sic]!!!” In a follow-up post, he added: “What a terrible night this has been. God bless you all!”
As the investigation continues, authorities are analyzing air traffic control communications, flight data, and weather conditions to determine the cause of the crash.
The FAA and NTSB are urging anyone with additional footage or information to come forward. With so many questions still unanswered, the public is anxiously awaiting further updates on this heartbreaking tragedy.
