A tragic midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport has resulted in multiple fatalities. The commercial aircraft, carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, was on approach for landing when the accident occurred on Wednesday.
Authorities have yet to confirm the exact number of casualties, but initial reports indicate significant loss of life. Emergency response teams rushed to the scene, and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collision.
This devastating incident marks one of the most serious air disasters in the United States in recent years. Fatal crashes involving commercial airliners have become increasingly rare, with the last major accident occurring in 2009 when a Colgan Air flight crashed near Buffalo, New York, killing all 50 people on board.
The latest tragedy adds to a grim history of deadly aviation accidents in the U.S. Some of the most catastrophic crashes in the past decades include:
February 12, 2009 – A Colgan Air plane crashed near Buffalo, New York, killing all 50 people aboard, including 45 passengers, two pilots, and two flight attendants. One person on the ground also died.
August 27, 2006 – A Comair flight crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, after taking off from the wrong runway, killing 49 people.
September 11, 2001 – Four hijacked planes crashed into the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field, killing nearly 3,000 people in the deadliest terror attack in history.
November 12, 2001 – An American Airlines flight crashed into a residential area in Belle Harbor, New York, killing all 260 passengers and crew members.
January 31, 2000 – An Alaska Airlines jet plunged into the Pacific Ocean near California, killing all 88 people aboard.
May 11, 1996 – A ValuJet Airlines flight crashed into the Florida Everglades shortly after takeoff from Miami, killing all 105 passengers and five crew members.
July 17, 1996 – A Trans World Airlines flight exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near New York, killing all 230 on board.
September 8, 1994 – A USAir flight crashed while attempting to land in Pittsburgh, killing 127 passengers and five crew members.
October 31, 1994 – An American Eagle flight crashed in Roselawn, Indiana, killing 64 passengers and four crew members.
July 19, 1989 – A United Airlines flight suffered engine failure and crashed while attempting to land in Sioux City, Iowa, killing 110 passengers and one crew member.
August 2, 1985 – A Delta Airlines flight crashed while landing at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport during a thunderstorm, killing 134 passengers and crew members.
August 16, 1987 – A Northwest Airlines flight crashed just after takeoff in Romulus, Michigan, hitting light poles and a rental car facility. The crash killed 148 passengers and six crew members.
January 13, 1982 – An Air Florida flight crashed into the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., killing 70 passengers and four crew members.
July 9, 1982 – A Pan American World Airways flight crashed near New Orleans, Louisiana, colliding with trees and houses, killing 145 people on board.
