Washington DC midair collision: Bodies recovery efforts, Investigation findings - What we know so far

A tragic midair collision between an American Airlines passenger jet and a US Army helicopter near Washington D.C.'s Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night has claimed the lives of all 67 people on board. The incident, which sent both aircraft crashing into the Potomac River, marks the deadliest air disaster in the US in more than two decades. As investigators work to determine the cause, recovery efforts are ongoing, and authorities are piecing together the final moments leading up to the crash. Here’s what we know so far.

Recovery efforts underway

By Friday afternoon, recovery teams had retrieved 41 bodies, with 28 positively identified. Authorities have informed 18 families about their loved ones’ deaths. Search efforts are ongoing to locate the remaining victims and debris.

Investigation underway

Federal investigators are analysing communication between air traffic controllers and both aircraft. A key question is whether the Army helicopter was flying above its authorized 200-foot altitude. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed that the Army will review flight data before drawing conclusions.

Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the plane, as well as the Black Hawk’s black box. Authorities are working to extract and analyze the data. Interviews with air traffic controllers have begun, with at least one controller already providing testimony to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Victims of the crash

Among the 67 victims were members of the Skating Club of Boston returning from the 2025 US Figure Skating Championships. Notable victims included teenage figure skaters Jinna Han and Spencer Lane, their mothers, and Russian-born coaches Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov, the 1994 world pairs skating champions. Also aboard were a group of hunters returning from Kansas, nine students and parents from Fairfax County, Virginia, four steamfitters from Maryland, and two Chinese nationals. The plane’s captain was identified as Jonathan Campos, 34.

The Army identified two of the three soldiers aboard the helicopter: Staff Sgt. Ryan Austin O’Hara, 28, of Lilburn, Georgia, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, 39, of Great Mills, Maryland. The third soldier’s identity has not been disclosed at the family’s request. By Friday, only O’Hara’s remains had been recovered.

Political reactions and speculation

Officials have cautioned against early speculation. However, at a press conference on Thursday, President Donald Trump blamed the Army helicopter crew without presenting evidence. On Friday, he reiterated his claim that the Black Hawk was flying above its altitude limit, writing on Truth Social, “It was far above the 200-foot limit. That’s not really too complicated to understand, is it???”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded by stating that Trump had been briefed by investigators but did not confirm his assertion.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the crash while families await answers.