A devastating midair collision between American Eagle Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter claimed 67 lives on Wednesday evening near Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C. The crash occurred around 9 p.m. in clear, cold conditions, sending both aircraft plunging into the icy Potomac River.

The commercial flight, carrying 64 people including crew members, was approaching Reagan National Airport from Wichita when it collided with the military helicopter carrying three crew members. Among the victims were approximately 20 young figure skaters and their coaches returning from a national championship competition in Wichita.

Notable victims included 16-year-old skating prodigy Spencer Lane and his mother Christine, 13-year-old Jinna Han and her mother Jin, and world champion coaches Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova. The Black Hawk crew included Ryan O'Hara, 29, a new father and crew chief, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves.

The crash occurred in one of the nation's most tightly controlled airspaces, just over three miles south of the White House. According to air traffic safety reports, staffing levels in National's control tower were 'not normal' at the time, with no dedicated controller managing helicopter traffic.

More than 300 first responders from multiple agencies worked through the night in challenging conditions, facing icy waters and strong winds. Fire Chief John A. Donnelly Sr. confirmed there were no survivors, as rescue efforts transitioned to recovery operations.

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the cause of the collision. The crash has raised questions about airspace management around Reagan National Airport, which currently handles 25 million passengers annually despite being designed for 15 million.