Deadly Potomac River Crash Remembered by First Responders

One year after a mid-air collision between an American Airlines flight and a US Army Blackhawk helicopter, first responders reflect on the tragic night and its lasting impact.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 7:31pm

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On January 29, 2025, an American Airlines flight and a US Army Blackhawk helicopter collided mid-air above the Potomac River near Washington, D.C., resulting in the deaths of 64 people on the plane and 3 on the helicopter. First responders, including Marine pilot and DC Fireboat Captain CJ Isbell, recall the harrowing recovery efforts and the lasting trauma of the incident, one of the deadliest aviation disasters in the past 20 years. The NTSB's investigation found systematic failures led to the crash, and the government has since admitted liability, leading to lawsuits from victims' families.

Why it matters

The Potomac River crash transformed families, changed flight paths and laws, and left an indelible mark on the first responders who were tasked with the recovery efforts. The tragedy highlighted ongoing safety concerns around the overlap between commercial air traffic and military operations in the Washington, D.C. area, which the NTSB says has seen 15,000 near misses in the last three years.

The details

On the night of January 29, 2025, American Airlines Flight 5342 took off from Wichita and was minutes away from landing at Washington's Reagan National Airport when it collided mid-air with a US Army Blackhawk helicopter that was on a training flight. Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac River, killing all 64 people on the plane and 3 on the helicopter. The crash recovery efforts were led by Marine pilot and DC Fireboat Captain CJ Isbell, who was the first to arrive on the scene. Isbell and his team searched for potential survivors, but ultimately had to focus on recovering the victims' remains to provide closure for the families. The NTSB's investigation found the crash was caused by systematic failures, including the helicopter flying too close to the commercial flight path, with only 75 feet of separation at a critical point.

  • The crash occurred on January 29, 2025.
  • The one-year anniversary of the crash was marked on January 29, 2026.
  • The NTSB released its findings on the crash on January 27, 2026.

The players

CJ Isbell

A Marine pilot and DC Fireboat Captain who was the first to arrive on the scene of the Potomac River crash and led the recovery efforts.

Jennifer Homendy

The NTSB Chairwoman who said there were 15,000 near misses between helicopters and commercial planes in the Washington, D.C. area over the last three years.

Bob Clifford

The attorney representing the family of crash victim Casey Crafton, who filed the first federal lawsuit claiming the crash was preventable and caused the needless loss of 67 lives.

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What they’re saying

“That evening, I was the first arriving boat that found the aircraft in the water and began to recover victims.”

— CJ Isbell, DC Fireboat Captain (hawaiinewsnow.com)

“There was only 75 feet of separation at a critical point on that route circling to runway 33.”

— Jennifer Homendy, NTSB Chairwoman (hawaiinewsnow.com)

“It was preventable and caused the needless loss of 67 lives.”

— Bob Clifford, Attorney (hawaiinewsnow.com)

What’s next

The NTSB has issued safety suggestions, including limiting landings and runways that overlap with helicopter routes and re-routing Army operations away from Reagan National Airport. The Department of Justice has admitted government liability, leading to additional lawsuits from victims' families.

The takeaway

The Potomac River crash highlighted the ongoing safety concerns around the overlap between commercial air traffic and military operations in the Washington, D.C. area, and the lasting trauma experienced by first responders who were tasked with the harrowing recovery efforts. The tragedy has led to changes in flight paths and laws, as well as a reckoning for the families who lost loved ones in one of the deadliest aviation disasters in the past 20 years.