- PSA Airlines flight 5342 collided midair with a helicopter near Reagan National Airport and crashed.
- PSA Airlines is a subsidiary of American Airlines.
- The airport issued a ground stop following the accident; details on casualties are unknown.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed on Wednesday that PSA Airlines flight 5342 collided midair with a helicopter during its final approach into Washington D.C.’s Reagan Washington National Airport.
PSA is an American Airlines wholly-owned subsidiary and operates regional flights on behalf American. The aircraft was a Bombardier CRJ700.
CNN and the Wall Street Journal report there were 60 passengers and four crew onboard. The helicopter involved was an Army Black Hawk, multiple outlets have reported. Three crew members were on the Black Hawk, according to the New York Times and CNN.
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“We’re aware of reports that American Eagle flight 5342, operated by PSA, with service from Wichita, Kansas (ICT) to Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) has been involved in an incident,” American Airlines told Business Insider in a statement. “We will provide information as it becomes available.”
The airport was closed to all aircraft after the crash.
A DC Fire spokesperson could not confirm any fatalities but said a “search and rescue operation is in progress.”
This marks the first complete loss plane crash in the US since 2009 when Colgan Air Flight 3407 crashed over Buffalo, killing 49 onboard and one person on the ground.
It’s the third plane crash since December. An Azerbaijan Airlines Embraer plane crashed, likely caused by Russian air defenses. Thirty-eight people died.
A few days later, a Boeing 737 operated by Korean carrier Jeju Airlines crashed during landing in South Korea, killing 179 people. Two people survived. The investigation is still ongoing.
This story is developing, check back for more information.
