A midair collision near Reagan National Airport caused a huge search and rescue operation in the icy Potomac River. Newly released air traffic control recordings capture the chilling moments before, during, and after the crash, giving key details about the tragic event.

The crash happened when an American Airlines passenger jet collided midair with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near the airport.

The American Airlines plane crashed into the freezing Potomac River, and there were confirmed deaths, but no survivors had been found at the time of reporting.

Authorities stopped all flights at the airport until at least 11 a.m. ET Thursday while rescue teams worked hard at the crash site.

American Airlines Flight 5342, run by PSA Airlines, left Wichita, Kansas, with 60 passengers and four crew members onboard.

The Black Hawk helicopter, with three soldiers aboard, was on a training flight when the collision happened. Aviation and defense officials said the plane was broken up in the water, and the helicopter was nearby.

Air traffic control audio captured the events leading to the crash, giving a critical look at the moments before impact. The recording shows a controller asking the helicopter crew, “PAT 2-5 do you have the CRJ in sight?”

Moments later, the controller told them, “PAT 2-5 pass behind the CRJ.” The Black Hawk pilot confirmed visual contact with the plane, saying, “PAT 2-5 has aircraft in sight, request visual separation.”

Thirteen seconds later, the audio captured gasps from the tower, including a loud “oooh,” marking the moment of impact. After the crash, air traffic controllers quickly told another pilot about the unfolding disaster.

Another pilot confirmed seeing the incident, telling air traffic control, “Yeah, we were on short final, and we saw flares from the opposite side of the Potomac.” An approach controller added, “Apparently both aircraft involved are in the river, a search and rescue will be ongoing.”

The crash caused major disruptions at Reagan National Airport, and flights were diverted to other locations.

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority CEO Jack Potter noted that American Airlines set up a center inside the airport to support friends and families of those onboard.

“We’ve directed the families there, and there are counselors to work with the families,” he said. Rescue teams faced tough challenges recovering victims due to the Potomac River’s depth and conditions.

The river’s average depth is 24 feet, with some areas as deep as 107 feet near Morgantown, Maryland. The cold temperatures and strong currents made recovery efforts even harder.

President Donald Trump responded to the tragedy on his Truth Social platform, criticizing the circumstances leading to the collision. “The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time,” he wrote.

“It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!” he concluded.

This crash is a grim reminder of other recent aviation disasters, like the helicopter crash into a radio tower in Houston in October 2024.

As search efforts continue and investigators work to understand the final moments before impact, the recordings provide a chilling insight into how quickly disaster can happen and will be crucial in finding out the cause of this terrible crash.