American Airlines Plane Collides With Military Chopper Mid-Air In Worst US Air Disaster Since 2001: President Trump Confirms No Survivors

An American Airlines regional airplane—American Eagle Flight 5342— en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., collided with a military helicopter mid-air over Washington DC's Potomac River on Wednesday with over 28 confirmed dead. President Donald Trump confirmed there are no survivors.

“We are all searching for answers,” said President Donald Trump in his remarks on Thursday morning. “The NTSB, the FAA, and the U.S. military will be carrying out a comprehensive investigation.”

“We did not know what led to this crash, but we have some very strong opinions and ideas, and I think we’ll probably state those opinions now, because over the years, I’ve watched as things like this happen,” Trump said.

American Airlines said the aircraft carried 60 passengers and four crew members. PSA Airlines, an American Airlines subsidiary, operated the flight with a CRJ-700. 

“Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft. We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts,” the airline said in a statement.

“At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft,” said American Airlines CEO Robert Isom during a press conference Thursday morning.

A CNBC report said this is the worst U.S. air disaster since 2001.

According to a BBC News report, emergency services chief John Donnelly said 28 bodies have been recovered so far. He also stated that no survivors were expected. Secretary of Transport Sean Duffy noted that before the collision, the flight paths of both aircraft were not unusual for DC airspace. 

The disaster comes as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) chief’s post remains vacant after Mike Whitaker stepped down ahead of the new administration.

Meanwhile, retail investors on Stocktwits reflected the grim mood. The stock’s sentiment meter dipped into the ‘extremely bearish’ territory (6/100), hitting a one-year low.

AAL’s Sentiment Meter and Message Volume as of 11:15 a.m. ET on Jan. 30, 2025 | Source: Stocktwits

American Airlines stock traded lower by over 2% on Thursday morning. 

Some users are speculating that the stock will remain under pressure until more answers are surfaced. Additional regulatory action or oversight resulting from this catastrophe will be a factor analysts will consider in assessing the path of American Airlines and the broader group of airline stocks.

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