A PSA Airlines regional jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided near Washington, D.C., on January 29, 2025, at approximately 8:48 pm EST, killing all 67 people on board both aircraft in the deadliest US air accident since American Airlines Flight 587 in 2001.
The crash involved American Airlines Flight 5342, a Bombardier CRJ700 operated by PSA Airlines with 64 passengers and crew, and a US Army UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter with three crew members. All 67 individuals lost their lives when the aircraft struck the Potomac River approximately 300 feet above the ground and 800 meters short of Runway 33 at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia.
Major tragedy for US figure skating community
Among the victims were 28 members of the US Figure Skating community, including 11 young skaters ages 11–16, 13 parents, and 4 coaches. Many were returning from a National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas, following the 2025 US Championships. The tragedy’s impact on US figure skating was widely compared to Sabena Flight 548 in 1961, which wiped out the entire US figure skating team. The Skating Club of Boston, home club of many 1961 victims, lost six members in the Flight 5342 crash.
Among the fatalities were four former Soviet or Russian figure skaters, including married pair Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, 1994 World Figure Skating Championships gold medalists in pair skating, as well as Inna Volyanskaya and Alexandr Kirsanov, who competed in pairs and ice dance respectively.
First major US commercial aviation disaster since 2009
The accident marked the first major commercial aviation disaster in the United States since Colgan Air Flight 3407 in 2009, and the deadliest US air accident since American Airlines Flight 587 in 2001. It was also the third hull loss and first fatal accident involving the CRJ700 series aircraft.
Because there were few other direct passenger flights between Wichita and the East Coast, Flight 5342 served as the most convenient return route for many travelers from the Northeastern United States.
Helicopter on night vision training mission
The airliner was on final approach to Runway 33 and the helicopter was on a training mission using night vision goggles. The helicopter was not broadcasting ADS-B data, which would have allowed the airliner’s crew to see its location on their flight deck displays.
A single air traffic controller was managing both helicopter and commercial runway traffic, a configuration typically split between two people. Communications were further complicated because the aircraft were on different radio frequencies and could not hear each other’s transmissions.
US government admits liability
In December 2025, the US government admitted liability for the crash in court filings. The admission cited failures by Army pilots to “maintain vigilance” and the air traffic controller’s failure to follow visual separation procedures. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has scheduled a public meeting for January 27, 2026, to determine the official probable cause.
Following the crash, the FAA restricted helicopter flights near DCA and later prohibited the use of certain helicopter routes during Runway 33 landings.
Memorial show held at Capital One Arena
On March 2, 2025, Maxim Naumov, the son of Shishkova and Naumov, performed alongside other prominent skaters and family members of victims at Legacy on Ice, a two-hour memorial show held at Capital One Arena to honor those lost in the accident.
