Passengers who are traveling are feeling frightened to take flights, while employees at the Washington DC airport are feeling confused and not receiving clear answers, following a tragic midair collision between a military helicopter and a commercial passenger jet that resulted in the loss of 67 lives.
Operations at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport have resumed after the devastating incident where a Black Hawk chopper collided with an American Airlines flight that was preparing to land, occurring right before 9 pm on a Wednesday.
The American Airlines aircraft, which had onboard young families and elite figure skaters, was on its way to the Washington DC airport when it was struck by the helicopter, causing it to break into three parts and fall into the cold waters of the Potomac River.
No one on either aircraft survived, making it the deadliest US air crash in nearly a quarter century.
Officials still haven’t identified the reason behind the sudden crash, despite American Airlines CEO Robert Isom throwing blame on the helicopter and Donald Trump pointing the finger at unqualified workers due to diversity and inclusion efforts.
After closing for 14 hours following the collision, DCA reopened at 11 am on Thursday.
It comes as…
The airport was a somber scene as displays showed canceled flights and travelers were visibly on edge.
“I’m flying out, it’s pretty tragic,” Abhi, a 25-year-old traveler told The U.S. Sun at the airport.
“I fly regularly and so it does make me feel a little bit more aware than I usually do when I’m flying.
“So, definitely I feel a little bit more aware and scared, but you got to keep going and got to move on you know.”
A Maryland resident named Carlos Estrada told The U.S. Sun he was waiting for his sister’s flight to arrive from Arkansas after it was rerouted to New York.
“She’s very concerned, she’s been texting me the whole time,” Estrada said.
“It makes me uneasy. We’re all here hurting in some way.”
As the investigation into the tragedy continues, American Airlines workers have been left scrambling for answers.
“They’ve kept us in the dark,” an American Airlines worker who asked to remain anonymous told The U.S. Sun.
“We don’t know much about who was onboard.”
Washington DC plane crash victims
A mid-air collision between American Airlines flight 5342 and a military helicopter on January 29, 2025, left dozens presumed dead. The victims include:
- Captain Jonathan Campos, 34
- First Officer Samuel Lilley, 29
- Flight attendant Ian Epstein
- Flight attendant Danashia Brown Elder
- Spencer Lane, 16
- Christine Lane, 49
- Jinna Han, 13
- Jin Han
- Evgenia Shishkova, 52
- Vadim Naumov, 55
- Alexandr Kirsanov
- Angela Yang
- Sean Kay
- Peter Livingston
- Donna Smojice Livingston
- Everly Livingston, 14
- Alydia Livingston, 11
- Inna Volyanskaya
- Asra Hussain Raza, 26
- Michael Stovall, 40
- Jesse Pitcher, 30
- Elizabeth Anne Keys, 33
- Wendy Jo Shaffer
- Kiah Duggins
- Black Hawk crew chief Ryan O’Hara
The 33-year-old employee said airport workers are trying to carry on with their usual tasks despite the airline not officially identifying the employees on board.
“We’ve been going about our business, helping passengers check in their bags and stuff like that, but as far as names we haven’t been told [anything].”
American Airlines hasn’t returned The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.
The airline worker said the collision was “tragic,” adding, “It’s something you wish wasn’t true.”
“We all came in this morning shocked, just in disbelief. You feel for the victims and their families.”
He noted the airport’s eerie emptiness when he arrived for his morning shift.
“I’ve never seen the airport this deserted before,” the worker said.
“Now more people are starting to arrive to catch their flights, but this morning there was barely anybody here except the airport workers.
“It was scary.”
At least 38 flights were delayed going in and out of DCA on Thursday, while over 500 were canceled, according to FlightAware.
INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
Hundreds of emergency workers continue to search the wreckage from the water to recover the bodies of the crash victims.
There were 64 American Airlines passengers onboard the flight from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington DC when disaster struck.
Three soldiers on the Black Hawk died when the military helicopter smashed into the passenger jet at a low elevation.
Horrifying footage showed the moment the twin-engine Bombardier CRJ700 jet collided with the US Army helicopter, causing a bright flash to light up the sky.
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk fact file
A SIKORSKY UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed into an American Airlines plane carrying 64 people on January 29. The collision happened as the jet was about to land at Reagan national airport.
Army personnel have used Black Hawk helicopters since the late 1970s.
Black Hawk helicopters don’t just transport troops; the flying machines are used in search and rescue missions, and deliver supplies to war-torn nations.
Here are some facts about the helicopter:
- Cost: Between $5.9 million and $10.2 million.
- Top speed: 183mph.
- Range: 1,380 miles.
- Engines: Powered by two electric engines that have 2,000 horsepower each.
- Length: 50 feet one inch.
- Height: 16 feet 10 inches.
- Troop capacity: Up to 11 fully equipped soldiers.
The official reason for the crash remains a mystery as the black box data from both aircraft have yet to be recovered.
The Federal Aviation Administration revealed the airport’s air traffic controller tower was reportedly short-staffed at the time of the crash, according to the The New York Times.
A preliminary report said the tower was operating with a third of its recommended staff for years.
During the crash, the controller guiding the plane to land was doing two jobs at once, according to the FAA.
Chilling audio recordings captured the tower’s final attempts at communicating with the military helicopter.
SKATERS AND THEIR COACHES MOURNED
While officials have not formally identified any victims yet, tributes and condolences have been posted across social media.
One of the first tributes to emerge was in memory of US figure skater Spencer Lane, 16.
Lane posted what turned out to be a final Instagram photo showing he was on the ill-fated flight.
It was then revealed the plane was full of skaters, coaches, and their families all returning from a training camp in Wichita.
Among the group was a husband-wife duo Evgenia Shishkova, 52, and Vadim Naumov, 55, who coached up-and-coming skaters.
The pair garnered international acclaim as the 1994 ice skating world champions.
Also on board were a pair of sister figure skaters and their parents.
Everly Livingston, 14, and her younger sister Alydia, 11, posted a photo on their joint Instagram account from US Figure Skating Championships in Wichita just days before the crash.
It would turn out to be their last public post.
EXPERIENCED PILOTS AT THE HELM
Tributes also poured in for the captain and first officer flying American Airlines flight 5342.
Captain Jonathan Campos, 34, and First Officer Sam Lilley, 28, had over eight years of flying experience between them.
Campos was remembered as a “skilled and dedicated pilot with an undeniable passion for flying” by Epic Flight Academy, where he was a flight instructor.
“Our deepest condolences go out to Jonathan’s family, friends, and all those who lost their lives or were impacted by this devastating tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement obtained by local NBC affiliate WFLA concluded.
Lilley was recently engaged and getting ready for a wedding this fall, his father Timothy shared in a Facebook tribute.
“I was so proud when Sam became a pilot,” Timothy Lilley wrote.
“Now it hurts so bad I can’t even cry myself to sleep. I know I’ll see him again but my heart is breaking.”
