A terrifying collision between an American Airlines flight and a Blackhawk military helicopter was caught on chilling air traffic control (ATC) audio. The mid-air disaster unfolded on Wednesday night as American Airlines Flight 5342 crashed into the helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC.
The audio, captured by LiveATC.net, recorded the chaotic moments immediately following the collision. The CRJ700 Bombardier jet, carrying 64 passengers and crew, had just contacted the control tower when another aircraft asked, “Tower, did you see that?“
Seconds later, air traffic controllers were already on high alert. One controller could be heard urgently declaring, “Crash, crash, crash, this is an alert three.” Another controller added, “I don’t know if you caught earlier what happened, but there was a collision on the approach into 33. We’re going to be shutting down operations for the indefinite future.”
A third controller clarified, “Both the helicopter and the plane crashed in the river.”
Eyewitness reports of the incident flooded in, with one controller describing seeing a “fireball” and then nothing. “I haven’t seen anything since they hit the river,” the controller said.
A large-scale search and rescue operation begins
At least 18 passengers from Flight 5342 were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River. The CRJ700 collided with the Black Hawk Sikorsky H-60 helicopter, which was on a training mission at the time. The collision occurred as the jet was preparing to land in Washington DC.
The plane had 60 passengers and four crew members on board. The Black Hawk had a crew of three. Tragically, reports confirm fatalities, but the exact number remains unverified.
The audio reveals the panic at the control tower. ATC operators can be heard trying to make sense of what happened, confirming the devastating collision. One controller asked, “PAT 2-5, do you have the CRJ in sight?” Another controller later confirmed the crash, stating, “We saw flares from the opposite side of the Potomac.”
A tense gasp could be heard in the moments following the crash, captured by the live audio. The controller then informed a nearby pilot of the horrifying incident: “We are shutting down operations for the indefinite future.”
The devastating aftermath
Minutes after the crash, another air traffic controller described the scene. “It was probably out in the middle of the river. I just saw a fireball, and then it was gone,” the controller reported. A search and rescue operation quickly took shape, with police, boats, and helicopters scouring the area.
Eyewitnesses on the ground reported hearing a loud noise before seeing a spark and debris falling from the sky. Roy Best, a federal employee, witnessed the crash from a rooftop near the airport. “It was just a loud noise. I saw a big spark and then something falling,” Best told CNN.
Tragedy in the frigid waters
The U.S. Army Black Hawk was on a training mission when it collided with the passenger jet. Authorities confirmed that the wreckage of both aircraft was scattered across three separate areas of the river. The debris was found in pieces, and hopes for any survivors were fading fast.
NBC’s Chief Meteorologist Doug Krammerer reported that the water temperature at the time of the crash was just 37°F. At that temperature, survival chances were slim, as hypothermia could set in within minutes.
The collision triggered a large-scale search operation, as authorities scoured both the water and the surrounding areas for survivors. The tragic crash has left the nation in shock, with questions remaining about how such a disaster could occur.
The search continues, but with each passing hour, the chances of finding more survivors grow slimmer.
