Late Wednesday, the plane was getting ready to land at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. A PSA Airlines plane crash a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter in midair.
The plane was approaching Runway 33 when the incident happene. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, at approximately 9 p.m.
According to a statement from the FAA, the flight, which was run by PSA for American Airlines. Left Wichita, Kansas, at approximately 5:20 p.m. American Airlines acknowledged in a statement. It was aware of the event and said the CRJ700 series aircraft carried 60 passengers and four crew members.
Two sets of lights that seemed like they were coming from an airplane appeared to explode in earlier video taken by an observation camera close to the Kennedy Center.
According to officials, the Metropolitan Police Department is using a helicopter to support the multiagency response. Emergency fireboats are currently on the scene.
The number of people hurt in the collision is yet unknown.
According to Mike Murillo of WTOP, emergency personnel from Montgomery and Fairfax counties were among the first responders who were gathered from all across the D.C. area.
“I have been doing this for 20 years, and I have never seen that many first responders in the Potomac River area. While reporting from Daingerfield Island, Murillo remarked. “It’s lit up on the D.C. side.” “Tonight, they are utilizing all of their available resources.”
American Airlines uses regional partners like PSA Airlines for shorter trips. Maintains a hub at Reagan. Additionally, the airport’s comparatively shorter runways are a good fit for the CRJ.
Because regional airlines and regional aircraft serve as a stepping stone for pilots before they are assigned to large. Mainline craft like Boeing 737s or Airbus A320s at major carriers, the planes are also frequently flown by less experienced cockpit crew.
According to American Airlines, the flight was almost full with 60 passengers and four crew members. Although the CRJ700 can accommodate around 80 passengers, most only have about 70 seats.
According to aircraft tracking website FlightAware. American Airlines Flight 5342 took off from Wichita, Kansas, at 5:18 p.m. Central and was scheduled to land at Reagan National Airport at 9:03 p.m. Eastern. However, the plane went down on approach at approximately 8:48 p.m.
The number of victims has not yet been established, and the reason of the disaster is still being investigated.
