Jet, Helicopter Collide Near Reagan National Airport

A regional passenger jet collided with a helicopter on approach to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, the FAA said on Wednesday.

The Bombardier CRJ700, operated by PSA Airlines, and Sikorsky H-60 helicopter crashed while the jet was on approach to the runway around 9 p.m. local time. The regional carrier was operating on behalf of American Airlines, coming in from Wichita, Kansas, FAA said.

Both the agency and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the incident, with NTSB taking lead.

Reports on social media said that an aircraft was down in the Potomac River near the airport after authorities said a suspected collision occurred late Wednesday. Video circulating on X appeared to show a midair collision. It was not immediately clear if there are fatalities.

The airport said in an X post just before 9:15 p.m. that all takeoffs and landings had been halted, with emergency personnel responding to an incident on the airfield. The terminal remained open.

Fireboats were on scene, officials said around 9 p.m.

Wednesday's incident comes after more than two years of rising alarm about near-misses at airports across the country as U.S. air travel came roaring back after the pandemic.