A small passenger plane collided with a military helicopter near Ronald Reagan Airport, a domestic airport close to Washington, D.C., on the night of the 29th (local time) and crashed into a river. On the 30th, U.S. fire authorities stated that more than 12 hours had passed since the crash, and all 67 occupants of both aircraft were believed to have died.
John Donnelly, chief of the Washington, D.C., fire department, said at a news conference held at 7:30 a.m. on the 30th, "At this point, we do not believe there are any survivors of this incident," and "We have discovered one body from the accident passenger rotor and one body from the helicopter."
Chief Donnelly noted, "Despite all efforts, we are transitioning from rescue operations to (recovery of bodies, etc.) at this point."
In the same briefing, Sean Duffy, Minister of Transportation, explained that the wreckage of the two aircraft was discovered, and the fuselage of the American Airlines passenger plane was found inverted at three different locations. Minister Duffy stated that recovery operations for the fuselage would be carried out that day.
Minister Duffy also mentioned that the weather was clear at the time of the accident and stated that he believes the incident was "absolutely" preventable.
Earlier, around 8:53 p.m. on the 29th, a passenger plane from PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines, collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk (Sikorsky H-60) helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan Airport in Washington, D.C. Both aircraft crashed into the nearby Potomac River.
American Airlines stated that the passenger plane was en route to Washington, D.C., from Wichita, Kansas, with 60 passengers and 4 crew members on board. Military authorities reported that three soldiers were on the crashed helicopter, and there were no high-ranking officials among them.
The Associated Press reported that the collision between the passenger plane and the helicopter occurred during the air traffic controller's coordination. It was noted that a warning to take care regarding the collision with the passenger plane had been transmitted via radio to the helicopter just before the accident occurred.
President Donald Trump stated in a statement, "I have been briefed on the terrible accident that occurred at Reagan Airport," expressing his hopes that "God's blessing be upon the souls of those (aboard the crashed aircraft)."
Robert Isom, CEO of American Airlines, expressed in a statement, "We express our deep sorrow for this incident," adding, "This is a difficult day for all of us."
Takeoffs and landings at Ronald Reagan Airport were completely suspended due to the aftermath of the incident, and flights scheduled to land there were redirected to nearby Baltimore International Airport. Ronald Reagan Airport is expected to resume takeoffs and landings on the morning of the 30th.