An American Airlines jet carrying at least 60 passengers collided with an army helicopter last night near Reagan National Airport and crashed into the Potomac River, shutting down all flights at the Washington D.C. airport as rescue crews launched a massive emergency search for victims.
You can see the observation camera video of the collision explosion here.
Early reports indicated that American Eagle regional flight 5342, operated by PSA Airlines, was inbound from Wichita, Kansas when it collided with a military Blackhawk helicopter on approach to the airport around 9 p.m. ET. Here are live updates.
Emergency responders from multiple agencies rushed to the scene as the scope of the disaster became clear. Inflatable fireboats were deployed in the Potomac, which was flooded with lights to help locate bodies.
Details about the cause of the collision were sparse in the first hours. The Federal Aviation Administration stated that it and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the crash, with the NTSB leading the inquiry.
