- An American Airlines plane collided with an Army helicopter near Washington D.C in a rare mid-air crash. The company has a strong safety record. There has not been a midair collision like this since 2009.
Mid-air collisions are a rare occurrence in the U.S. and American Airlines has not been involved in such a crash for decades.
Geoffrey Thomas, an aviation consultant, told the BBC that mid-air collisions were supposed to be a thing of the past as new technology enables pilots to warn each other of impending collisions with a system called the Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS). All commercial aircraft are fitted with this technology.
“Technically [the crash] should never have happened. It’s perplexing and tragic,” Thomas said in an interview with the news outlet.
The last fatal mid-air collision involving a commercial aircraft in the U.S. occurred in 2009 near Buffalo, New York, when a plane crashed into a house. All 45 passengers and the four crew members were killed. While near-miss incidents have been reported since then, fatal mid-air collisions have been exceedingly rare.
American Airlines has a strong safety record
American Airlines has maintained a strong safety record amid a turbulent time for the aviation industry, largely caused by a series of safety malfunctions concerning aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
The Allied Pilots Association (APA), a union that represents about 15,000 American Airlines pilots, has tried to draw attention to some of these safety issues.
In April, the group published a report that claimed that they had been “tracking a significant spike in safety- and maintenance-related problems in our operation.”
The report highlighted several near-misses that could have resulted in mechanical issues and raised concerns about employees allegedly facing pressure to clear planes. These concerns included tools left in wheel wells, a rise in collisions involving aircraft being tugged or towed, the removal of certain overnight maintenance checks, missing flight permits, extended intervals between routine inspections, and hazardous items being left near jet bridges.
The crash
The jet, with 60 passengers and four crew members on board, collided with an Army helicopter mid-descent at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington D.C. Three soldiers were on board the helicopter.
A rescue operation in the nearby Potomac River is underway and 19 bodies have been recovered so far, per the BBC.
The CEO of American Airlines, Robert Isom, issued a video statement in the wake of the crash, saying he expressed “deep sorrow” for the families and victims of the mid-air crash.
“This is a difficult day for all of us at American Airlines, and our efforts are now focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, partners [and] first responders, along with their families and loved ones,” he said in a video posted to AA’s website.
“We are actively working with local, state and federal authorities on emergency response efforts,” he added.
A spokesperson for American Airlines told Fortune in an email statement: “Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts.”
“If you believe you may have loved ones on board Flight 5342, 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,” they said.
In a post on Truth Social, U.S. President Trump called the incident “not good” and questioned why the helicopter didn’t “go up or down.”
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!” he said in the post.
The company’s 2025 outlook
American Airline’s stock was down 2% in overnight trading, in the wake of the crash so far. The airline was already under investor pressure before the collision.
Despite strong fourth-quarter earnings, American Airlines recently reported a weak 2025 outlook, predicting an expected Q1 loss that was below Wall Street’s expectations. Shares of the airline fell 8% last week after the company announced the weaker-than-expected guidance in its fourth-quarter results.
In the airline’s most recent earnings, AA reported a net income of $590 million, with revenue surging to $13.66 billion, in a year-over-year increase of 4.6%.
