An American Airlines regional passenger jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the frigid Potomac River after a midair collision near Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, officials said.
UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter: The Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk is one of the most ubiquitous and iconic military helicopters, filling multiple roles for the U.S. military, including air assault, general support, medevac, command and control, and special operations support.
The aircraft involved in the Jan. 29 crash was flying with the call sign PAT25 and had three occupants, according to the Aviation Safety Network, a public database of aviation accidents. More than 5,000 Black Hawks have been built since production began in the mid-1970s.
Bombardier CRJ700: The Bombardier CRJ700, which can seat about 70 people, is a workhorse of regional commercial aviation. There are about 260 of the aircraft in service, according to Cirium, an aviation data company.
The plane in the Jan. 29 crash was registered N530EA and manufactured in 2010, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. There were 60 passengers and four crew members onboard, American Airlines said. The jet was registered to American Airlines but operated by its wholly owned subsidiary, PSA Airlines. Bombardier sold the CRJ700 program to a Mitsubishi Heavy Industries subsidiary in 2019. Production of new aircraft ceased in 2020.
