Investigation Continues into Potomac River Aircraft Collision Debris
Divers from the FBI are currently engaged in investigating multiple underwater targets in the Potomac River, which are believed to be additional aircraft debris from the tragic collision between a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries RJ Aviation CRJ700 and a Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
The incident occurred on January 29, 2025, at 8:47 p.m. ET, when the PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700, operating as American Airlines Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, collided with the US Army helicopter, resulting in the loss of 67 lives.
Following a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration TopoBathy lidar survey, larger pieces of wreckage have been identified and recovered from the river. These pieces are currently being offloaded and transported to a secure location for further documentation.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators are diligently documenting the helicopter wreckage. Various components have been extracted from the wreckage for detailed examination, with arrangements being made for further analysis.