On Jan. 29. 2025, a passenger jet collided with a military helicopter. Leaving no survivors and making this one of the deadliest U.S. aircraft incidents in almost 25 years.
Operated by PSA Airlines, flight No. 5342 plunged into the Potomac River after a collision alongside an Army Hawk Helicopter. 64 individuals were on board the aircraft and three crew members were on board the helicopter. Flight No. 5342 was en route from Wichita, Kan.to Reagan Washington National Airport, descending only a couple hundred feet away from landing.
Questions arose over the reasoning behind the army helicopter in the area, ending in a fatal tragedy. According to officials, the aircraft was part of an annual evaluation testing a pilot’s cockpit knowledge and skill. It appeared, however, that the chopper was flying 200 feet higher than it should have been.
The importance of air traffic safety has dramatically increased at Reagan Washington National Airport after this incident. According to airport officials, the airport is presumed to be too crowded, handling almost double the amount of passengers than the airport was designed for. Talk about this issue has been in discussion for years.
14 individuals from the ice skating community; made up mostly of young skaters, consisted of the passengers that were on board flight 5342. All were returning from a national figure skating development camp; six of whom were part of the The Skating Club of Boston. Of the 14, a beloved coach from the UD skating club` was greatly honored in the community. The club president, Melissa Maldonado mentioned, “Sasha was more than just a coach – he was a mentor, a friend, and a light in the skating world. His passing for this sport was contagious, and his kindness, wisdom, and unwavering belief in his skaters helped so many of us grow both on and off the ice.”
To honor the victims involved in the accident, champion figure skaters have put together a tribute show called “Legacy on Ice”. The show is intended to raise funds to support the victim’s families and first responders, as well as aviation professionals. The event will be taking place at Capital One Arena in Wash. D.C. on Sunday, March. 2 at 3 p.m.
