US News

Chilling new videos give clearest view yet of DC plane crash — and debris falling into river after fireball

By
Emily Crane
Published Jan. 31, 2025, 7:44 a.m. ET

Disturbing new videos give the clearest view yet of the moment the American Airlines passenger plane and Army helicopter exploded into pieces — sending huge chunks of fiery debris crashing into the frigid water below.

The cellphone footage, obtained by CNN, provides the clearest angle so far of Wednesday’s tragic midair collision in Washington, DC, that killed 67 people in the country’s deadliest aviation disaster in almost a quarter-century.

The two clips captured the Black Hawk helicopter’s red tail lights flashing as it quickly flew directly toward the passenger jet approaching the runway at Ronald Reagan National Airport at about 9 p.m.

Disturbing new videos give the clearest view yet of the moment the American Airlines passenger plane and Army helicopter exploded into pieces
Disturbing new video clearly shows the moment the Army helicopter flies toward the American Airlines passenger plane late Wednesday. Obtained by CNN
Disturbing new videos give the clearest view yet of the moment the American Airlines passenger plane and Army helicopter exploded into pieces sending huge chunks of fiery debris crashing into the frigid water below.
Cellphone footage, obtained by CNN, provides the clearest angle so far of Wednesday’s tragic midair collision in Washington, DC. Obtained by CNN

The collision sparked a huge fireball, with large sections of the plane plunging into the icy Potomac River, where it was later found in three pieces.

Remnants of the helicopter, which was carrying three soldiers, also spiraled downward with its flashing lights still visible, the chilling footage shows.

Disturbing new videos give the clearest view yet of the moment the American Airlines passenger plane and Army helicopter exploded into pieces
The crash killed 67 people, making it the country’s deadliest aviation disaster in almost a quarter-century. Obtained by CNN
Disturbing new videos give the clearest view yet of the moment the American Airlines passenger plane and Army helicopter exploded into pieces sending huge chunks of fiery debris crashing into the frigid water below.
The moment the American Airlines passenger plane and Army helicopter collide. Obtained by CNN
Disturbing new videos give the clearest view yet of the moment the American Airlines passenger plane and Army helicopter exploded into pieces sending huge chunks of fiery debris crashing into the frigid water below.
Debris from the American Airlines passenger plane and Army helicopter crashed into the Potomac River. Obtained by CNN
Exclusive videos obtained by CNN show previously unseen angles of the collision between an American Airlines flight and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River on Wednesday night.
Remnants of the helicopter also spiraled downward following the collision. Obtained by CNN

The footage emerged as investigators and crews prepared to push forward on Friday with efforts to recover the bodies of the remaining victims from the water.

Fresh from recovering the black boxes from the American Airlines plane, divers were also aiming to salvage the remnants of both aircraft, officials said.

Follow the NYP’s coverage of the deadly DC plane collision

Authorities have yet to determine a reason for the collision.

The American Airlines jet was carrying 60 passengers and four crew when it went down.

Three soldiers were aboard the helicopter.

All are presumed dead.

The victims of the crash included teen figure skaters returning from a national meet with their parents and coaches, an Ohio college student coming from her grandfather’s funeral, two Chinese nationals and a group of hunters headed back from a guided trip in Kansas.