A report by the Federal Aviation Administration says staffing in the air traffic control tower was “not normal” at time of the midair collision near Washington. The report was obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

The collision between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight from Kansas killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft, officials said, as they scrutinized the actions of the military pilot after the country’s worst aviation disaster in a generation.

At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River after the helicopter apparently flew into the path of the jet late Wednesday while it was landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport near Washington. 

The body of the plane was found upside down in three sections in waist-deep water. The wreckage of the helicopter was also found. At least 28 bodies were pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River. There was no immediate word on the cause of the collision, but officials said flight conditions were clear as the jet arrived from Wichita, Kansas.

Two teenage figure skaters, their mothers, and two former world champions who were coaching at a historic Boston club were among the 14 members of the skating community killed in the plane.

Skating Club of Boston CEO Doug Zeghibe said Thursday that skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane were among those killed, along with 1994 pairs world champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov of Russia. In all, 14 of the victims were coming back from a national development camp for promising young skaters following the U.S. Championships in Wichita, Kansas, Zeghibe said.

Here's the latest:

NTSB chair says investigators will look at ‘facts’

National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said Thursday at a press conference that “we look at facts on our investigation and that will take some time.”

She was responding to a question on speculation about the cause of the crash between the an American Airlines jet and Army helicopter late Wednesday just outside Washington, D.C.

At a press conference earlier Thursday, Trump suggested that the Federal Aviation Administration’s diversity efforts had made air travel less safe.

The president asserted his opinion even though the crash has yet to be fully investigated and there has been no determination as to whether the FAA did anything wrong.

Homendy also said the black boxes from the aircraft have not been recovered yet.

Attorney says airport's crowded space is well-known fact

The crowded airspace around the airport was well known before the crash, said Robert Clifford, an aviation attorney from Chicago involved in numerous airline disaster cases.

“I can’t get over how stunningly clear it is that this was a preventable crash and this should never, ever have occurred,” Clifford told The Associated Press.

“There have been discussions for some time about the congestion associated with that and the potential for disaster. And we saw it come home last night,” Clifford said.

He said the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was “very unique" as it is not only located near the nation's capital but also is a highly restricted space.

“However, because of the massive military presence in our capital, the Pentagon and a number of bases, there’s understandably a lot of military aircraft in the area.”

Army: Crew of Blackhawk that crashed was ‘very experienced’

The crew that was flying the Army Blackhawk helicopter when it collided with an American Airlines jet was “very experienced” and were not new to the unit or the congested flying that occurs daily around Washington, D.C.

That is according to Jonathan Koziol, chief of staff for Army aviation.

“Both pilots had flown this specific route before, at night. This wasn’t something new to either one of them,” Koziol said.

“Even the crew chief in the back has been in the unit for a very long time, very familiar with the area, very familiar with the routing structure.”

The crew included an instructor pilot and pilot in command were experienced to the point where either crew member “could manage that helicopter by themselves.”

All three military personnel on board were killed in the midair collision between their helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet late Wednesday at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport just outside Washington, D.C.

Bodies of three Army soldiers recovered

The bodies of all three soldiers who were on board an Army helicopter involved in a midair collision have been recovered. That is according to U.S. officials.

Officials said Thursday that the remains will be at Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operations at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. That office coordinates the dignified transfer of fallen service members. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet announced. No identities of the crew have been released.

They were killed in midair collision with an American Airlines passenger jet late Wednesday near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport outside of Washington, D.C. There were 64 people on board the jet and officials say all of them were killed in the crash.

Trump says he thinks FAA diversity hiring has hurt air safety

President Donald Trump has suggested that the Federal Aviation Administration’s diversity efforts had made air travel less safe.

The president asserted his opinion even though the crash has yet to be fully investigated and there has been no determination as to whether the FAA did anything wrong.

Trump was speaking at the White House press briefing room after a fatal crash between a passenger airplane and Army helicopter on Wednesday night at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Trump also suggested he might make sweeping changes at federal aviation agencies. There could firings “if we find that people aren’t mentally competent.”

“For some jobs,” Trump said, singling out air traffic controllers. “They have to be at the highest level of genius.”

Trump blamed previous administrations’ efforts to promote diversity at federal agencies for contributing to the crash. Asked why he thought that was an issue what happened, he responded, “Because i have common sense.”

Trump: No one survived the aircraft collision near D.C.

President Donald Trump says there were no survivors after a passenger plane and an Army helicopter collided near a D.C.-area airport.

“As one nation, we grieve for every precious soul that has been taken from us so suddenly,” Trump said at a press briefing Thursday.

“Sadly, there are no survivors” of the crash, he said.

Trump said it was still not clear what led to the crash. He said the U.S. miliary and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating.

“We’ll find out how this disaster occurred and will ensure that nothing like this ever happens again," he said.

Coast Guard joins in rescue and recovery effort

Coast Guard boats are helping to scour the chilly waters of the Potomac River after a deadly collision between a commercial passenger jet and an Army helicopter.

Every “available U.S. Coast Guard resource for search and rescue” has been deployed to join other agencies, said Secretary Kristi Noem of the Department of Homeland Security.

“We are actively monitoring the situation & stand ready to support local responders,” Noem said on the social media platform X.

In a statement, the Coast Guard says its pollution crews have been mobilized and are ready to respond if necessary.

The Coast Guard is working with the Army Corps of Engineers and Navy’s Supervisor of Salvage and Diving to coordinate removing the wreckage and keeping river traffic out of the area until it becomes safe.

President Trump sends message of condolence

President Donald Trump has sent a message of condolence to those affected by the deadly collision at a D.C.-area airport.

“I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport. May God Bless their souls,” he said on Truth Social.

“Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise.”

Six killed from Boston-area figure skating club

Two young figure skaters, two of their parents and two highly-regarded Russian figure skating coaches were among those killed after an American Airlines flight and an Army helicopter collided Wednesday night and crashed into the frigid waters of the Potomac River.

“This will have long reaching impacts for our community,” said Doug Zeghibe, chief executive at the Skating Club of Boston, said during a news conference where he was visibly emotional.

Two of those killed were Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were well-known Russian skaters but have been coaching at the Skating Club of Boston since 2017.

U.S. Figure Skating previously confirmed that several skaters, coaches and family members were on the commercial flight after attending a development camp that followed the national championships, which wrapped up Sunday in Wichita, Kansas.

Russian figure skaters are among the victims

Two Russian figure skating coaches whose son recently finished fourth at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships were among those feared dead after an American Airlines and an Army helicopter collided crashed into the frigid waters of the Potomac River.

U.S. Figure Skating confirmed that several skaters, coaches and family members were on the commercial flight after attending a development camp that followed the national championships that ended Sunday in Wichita, Kansas.

Two of those killed were Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who were well-known Russian skaters but have been coaching at the Skating Club of Boston since 2017.

Officials say they do not believe anyone survived in the Wednesday crash. The American Airlines jet had 60 passengers and four crew members. Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.

FAA joins NTSB in investigation of midair collision

Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration will join the NTSB-led investigation of Wednesday night’s midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a military helicopter near Reagan Washington National Airport.

The NTSB is leading the investigation.

Airport to reopen at 11 a.m. after deadly crash

Located along the Potomac River, just southwest of Washington, D.C., the Ronald Reagan National Airport is a popular choice because it’s much closer to the U.S. capital than the larger Dulles International Airport.

All takeoffs and landings from Reagan Airport were halted following the crash. It will reopen at 11 a.m. Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced.

Fire chief confident that remains of victims will be recovered

Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly says he’s confident that the remains of those killed in the crash will be recovered, but it may take some time. At least 28 bodies have been recovered.

Officials said flight conditions were clear as the jet coming from Wichita, Kansas was making a routine landing when the helicopter flew into its path. Three soldiers were on board the helicopter during a training flight, an Army official said.

American Airlines has sent up centers in Washington and Wichita, Kansas, for people searching for information about family members and families.

Duffy says accident was “absolutely" preventable

Asked about President Donald Trump suggesting in an overnight social media post that the collision could have been prevented, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said, “Do I think this was preventable? Absolutely.

Duffy also said passengers should be “assured” that flying is safe.

“I would just say that everyone who flies in American skies expects that we fly safely. That when you depart an airport, you get to your destination. That didn’t happen last night and I know that President Trump, his administration, the FAA, the DOT, we will not rest until we have answers for the families and for the flying public. You should be assured that when you fly, you’re safe.”

Duffy says US has “safest airspace in the world”

"We have early indicators of what happened here and I will tell you with complete confidence we have the safest airspace in the world,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.

Duffy said that, prior to the collision, the plane and helicopter flight paths “were not unusual for what happens in the DC airspace”

“Everything was standard in the lead up to the crash. Obviously there was something that happened here,” Duffy said.

27 people traveling on American Airlines jet confirmed dead

First responders have recovered the bodies of 27 passengers from the American Airlines jet that collided with the helicopter, officials say.

The body of the plane was found upside down in three sections in waist-deep water. The wreckage of the helicopter was also found.

Officials said they were still searching for other casualties but did not believe there were any other survivors, which would make it the deadliest U.S. air crash in nearly 24 years.

Rescuers now working to recover the dead

Michael Waltz, President Donald Trump’s national security advisor, said on Fox News Channel, that at “about 4 a.m., we transitioned from response to recovery.”

Asked if that was everyone aboard, Waltz said, “That’s what it’s looking like”

Waltz's comments That suggests first responders are now working to recover the dead from the crash.

Families anxious for news for those on the AA flight

Hamaad Raza is waiting for news from authorities about the fate of his wife, who he said was among 60 passengers on the American Airlines flight from Wichita.

Raza said he was waiting for the plane when his wife texted that her flight was 20 minutes from landing.

When his messages failed to be delivered he became concerned.

“That’s when I realized something might be up,” Raza told WUSA-TV.

His 26-year-old wife, who he didn’t name, had flown to Wichita, Kansas, for work.

“I’m just praying that somebody’s pulling her out of the river as we speak,” Raza said. “That’s all I can pray for.”

Kremlin confirms former champion Russian skaters were onboard

The Kremlin has confirmed that Russian figure skaters, as well as other Russian nationals, were on the American Airlines plane that crashed into the Potomac River near Washington, DC.

Spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed to reporters Thursday that Russian figure skaters Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, who won the pairs title at the 1994 world championships and competed at the Winter Olympics twice, were aboard the plane.

“Unfortunately, we see that this sad information is being confirmed. There were other fellow citizens there. Bad news today from Washington. We are sorry and send condolences to the families and friends who lost those of our fellow citizens who died in the plane crash,” he said.

He did not give details on how many fatalities there were.

Shishkova and Naumov are listed as professional pairs coaches on the website of the Skating Club of Boston. Their son, Maxim Naumov, is a competitive figure skater for the U.S.

Rescuers search in near freezing river water for survivors

Hundreds of rescuers were searching the frigid waters of the Potomac River for any survivors of the plane crash.

Images showed boats around a partly submerged wing and what appeared to be the mangled wreckage of the plane’s fuselage.

Helicopters flew overhead with powerful search lights scanning the murky waters, while emergency vehicles lit up the banks of the Potomac in a long line of blinking red lights.

The water temperature was just above freezing.

Global skating community ‘deeply shocked and heartbroken’

The international governing body for figure skating said the global skating community was “deeply shocked” and heartbroken to learn that figure skaters and those close to them were onboard the flight that collided with a military helicopter.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy. Figure skating is more than a sport — it’s a close-knit family — and we stand together,” the International Skating Union said in a statement.

Crews in plane crash response face ‘rough’ conditions

Officials who held a press conference at Reagan National Airport did not announce any deaths, but they all had a somber tone.

Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas said “when one person dies it’s a tragedy, but when many, many, many people die it’s an unbearable sorrow.”

Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser would not say whether any bodies were recovered from the crash.

There are currently about 300 responders working on the rescue operation

Washington Fire and EMS Chief John A. Donnelly said at the early Thurday news conference thatconditions are “extremely rough for responders,” with cold weather and intense wind.

The Potomac River is about 8 feet deep where the aircraft crashed after their collision.

“The water is dark. It is murky," Connelly said.

Trump says collision ‘looks like it should have been prevented’

In a post on Truth Social, Trump questioned the tactics of the military helicopter and the air traffic controllers — both agencies that report to him as the president.

Writing that the “airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach for an extended period of time” on a “CLEAR NIGHT,” Trump questioned, “why didn’t the helicopter go up or down or turn,” and “why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane.”

“What a terrible night this has been. God Bless you all!” he added in a subsequent post.

AP source: Multiple people killed in midair collision

There were multiple fatalities after the midair collision, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Authorities are still conducting a search-and-rescue operation in an attempt to find survivors in the water and around the crash site.

-Mike Balsamo

Helicopter was on training flight

The U.S. Army said the helicopter that collided with a passenger jet was a UH-60 Blackhawk based at Fort Belvoir in Virginia. A crew of three soldiers were onboard the helicopter, an Army official said. The helicopter was on a training flight.

Military aircraft frequently conduct training flights in and around the congested and heavily-restricted airspace around the nation’s capital for familiarization and continuity of government planning.

‘There was a lot of sadness’ in terminal after passenger jet crash

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz was waiting to catch his flight back to Buffalo, New York, when he saw through the terminal window some emergency vehicles moving out below.

“It didn’t seem anything too strange at that point,” Poloncarz said. “And then about a minute or so after that, there was an announcement of a full-ground stop, that there would be no flights landing and no flights taking off. And then we started to see a lot of emergency vehicles heading towards the river.”

Poloncarz and others soon saw reports on social media of a plane crash, while rumors began to swirl.

“When flights get delayed, people get aggravated and upset. But there was no one getting aggravated or upset because I think we all realized pretty quickly the magnitude of what occurred. The terminal grew pretty quiet. There was a lot of sadness.”

Last fatal U.S. commercial airline crash was in 2009

The last fatal crash involving a U.S. commercial airline occurred in 2009 in New York, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

Everyone aboard the Bombardier DHC-8 propeller plane was killed, including 45 passengers, 2 pilots and 2 flight attendants. Another person on the ground also died, bringing the total death toll to 50. An investigation determined that the captain accidentally caused the plane to stall as it approached the airport in Buffalo.

Audio shows no response from helicopter after air traffic control warning

Less than 30 seconds before the crash, an air traffic controller asks the helicopter if it has the arriving plane in sight: “PAT25, do you have the CRJ in sight?”

The controller makes another radio call to PAT25 moments later: “PAT 25 pass behind the CRJ.”

The two aircraft collide seconds later.

The audio from flight tracking sites doesn’t record any response from the helicopter, if any, to the warnings from air traffic control.

The plane’s radio transponder stopped transmitting about 2,400 feet (730 meters) short of the runway, roughly over the middle of the river.

(Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.)