Last week, two tragic plane crashes occurred in the United States. On January 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C., there was a mid-air collision. Eerily, two days later there was the Philadelphia Medical Plane Crash. The two crashes were only two days apart and many people were left severely injured or dead.
The Washington D.C. American Airlines regional jet, Flight 5342, collided mid-air with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. All 67 individuals aboard both aircraft died in the accident. A total of 67 individuals lost their lives in this incident; there were no survivors on this flight. The victims included 60 passengers and 4 crew members aboard the American Airlines regional jet, as well as 3 crew members in the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter.
Among the passengers was Olivia Taylor, a twelve-year-old figure skater, and her mother, Olesya Taylor, along with several other individuals, including members of the figure skating community, who were there for a figure skating event.
Data from air traffic control revealed that the Black Hawk helicopter was flying at an altitude of 300 feet, which was 100 feet higher than the permitted maximum of 200 feet in that specific airspace. At the same time, the American Airlines regional jet was flying at 325 feet, putting both aircraft dangerously close to each other.
In the final moments before the collision, the pilots of the regional jet noticed the danger and attempted to land the plane to avoid impact. However, due to the high speed and proximity of both aircraft, there was not enough time or space to move out of the way, resulting in the crash.
The Medical transport plane departing from Philadelphia, a Learjet 55 operated by Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, crashed shortly after departing from Philadelphia Northeast Airport. The aircraft was on the way to Missouri when it went down in a residential neighborhood, resulting in the deaths of all six individuals on board, including a pediatric patient and her mother.
The crash caused significant destruction, with debris scattered up to a quarter-mile from the impact site, 4 homes destroyed, and damaging 17 others.
All 6 occupants of the Learjet 55 medical transport plane died in the crash. Additionally, one person on the ground was killed, and 24 others were injured, with 2 in critical condition. While there were no survivors among the flight members, some individuals on the ground survived despite injuries. However, a nine-year-old boy suffered burns over 90% of his body and is currently receiving treatment.
Both of these aircraft accidents have been devastating for the families involved, and as investigations continue, authorities will work hard to determine the exact causes. Our hearts go out to the families and friends who lost loved ones in these tragedies, and we hope that through thorough investigations, future accidents can be prevented.
By: Shirel Benhamou (10th)
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