A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter out of Fort Belvoir, Virginia, collided with a passenger aircraft preparing to land at Reagan National Airport on Wednesday evening shortly before 9 p.m. The helicopter was carrying three service members but no senior officials, defense officials told CNN.
The Army and the Pentagon “immediately” launched an investigation into the crash, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Officials at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling requested body bags—“basically as many as we could get”—from Fort Belvoir for the casualties, a military official told Defense One on Wednesday evening. At least 18 bodies had been recovered by 11:30 p.m., an official told CBS News.
Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a press conference early Thursday morning that both aircraft were in the Potomac River and emergency responders were “executing a rescue operation.” John Donnelly, DC’s fire and EMS chief, said local fire department boats and U.S. Coast Guard boats were in the water for the rescue operation, working under “extremely rough” conditions.
The helicopter was on a training flight from Davison Army Airfield at Fort Belvoir and was attached to Bravo Company, 12th Aviation Battalion, according to a spokesperson for Joint Task Force-National Capital Region.
“We are working with local officials and will provide additional information once it becomes available,” they said in a statement.
The civilian plane, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet operated on behalf of American Airlines, was carrying 60 passengers and four crewmembers, the airline said.
“A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter while on approach to Runway 33 at Reagan Washington National Airport around 9 p.m. local time,” according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration.
Fort Belvoir and its Davison Army Airfield are a hub of operations for the U.S. Army Aviation Brigade, which “plans, coordinates, and executes aviation operations for the U.S. Army Military District of Washington,” including arranging transport locally and beyond for senior Army leaders, some Defense Department officials, and combatant commanders, according to its website. The Brigade also provides air traffic services to the Pentagon helipad.
Newly-confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said via tweet that the Pentagon was “actively monitoring” the situation.
American Eagle flight 5342 departed from Wichita, Kansas.
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