Jet passengers included a number of figure skaters returning from Wichita, which hosted the U.S. Figure Skating Championships this month.
U.S. Figure Skating, the sport’s governing body in the U.S., told USA TODAY that “several members of our skating community were sadly aboard American Airlines Flight 5342.”
Two world-champion Russian figure skaters were also aboard the plane, CNN reported.
Timeline of Washington plane crash
Based on news reports; all times are Eastern and approximate
6:18 p.m.: Flight 5342 departs Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita.
8:45 p.m.: Flight 5342 approaches Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia.
8:46 p.m.: Air traffic controllers ask Flight 5342 to land on Runway 33. Pilots acknowledge.
8:47 p.m.: Air traffic controllers attempt to contact the helicopter pilot seconds before the two aircraft collide.
8:48 p.m.: Control tower sounds alarm to alert responders to crash.
8:53 p.m.: Washington Metro police receive calls about the crash.
9:30 p.m.: FAA and law enforcement confirm aircraft collision and crash.
10:30 p.m.: National Transportation Safety Board investigators arrive on scene.
11:30 p.m.: At least 18 bodies reported recovered.
The weather was clear. The jet was flying at an altitude of nearly 400 feet at a speed of 140 miles per hour. It was discovered upside down in several pieces in the water. The submerged helicopter, upside-down, was found nearby.
Flight path of American Airlines Flight 5342
What aircraft were involved in the crash?
The passenger jet is a Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-700 series twin-engine jet capable of carrying up to 78 passengers, depending on configuration. It’s operated by the regional airline PSA Airlines, a subsidiary of American Airlines.
The Black Hawk helicopter, based out of the 12th Aviation Battalion in Fort Belvoir in Virginia, was on a training flight, CBS News reported. Fort Belvoir is about 12 miles from Reagan National Airport, located in Arlington, Virginia, about 5 miles southwest of the U.S. Capitol. No senior officials were reported on board.
The helicopter was flying out of Montgomery County Airpark in Gaithersburg, Maryland, reported theavionist.com.
Who is investigating the crash?
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. The NTSB is leading the investigation, according to a statement from the FAA obtained by USA TODAY.
The Army and Department of Defense “immediately” opened an investigation into the crash, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a post on X early Thursday morning.
Reagan airport was closed for flights until at least 11 a.m. Thursday, USA TODAY reported. The airport halted all takeoffs and landings after the collision and rerouted aircraft to Washington Dulles International Airport.
American Airlines asked those who believe they may have loved ones on board AA flight 5342 to call American Airlines toll-free at 800-679-8215. Those calling from outside the U.S. can visit news.aa.com for additional phone numbers. Family members in Canada, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands can call 800-679-8215 directly.