The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said they have launched an investigation into the cause of the crash.

The president at points acknowledged that it was too soon to draw conclusions as he encouraged the nation to pray for the victims. But he moved nonetheless to assign blame.

A dramatic plane crash in frigid temperatures. And a search and rescue that saved lives on the same partially frozen Potomac River. Almost 43 years ago to the day, tragedy struck when a commercial jet − Air Florida Flight 90 − plunged into icy waters shortly after an afternoon takeoff from the same airport where a passenger jet with 64 people aboard collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday night.

Federal authorities are asking questions as to how the collision between an American Airlines flight and a military helicopter could have occurred.

A man has revealed the heartbreaking final text he received from his wife who was onboard American Airlines flight 5342 before it collided mid-air with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and crashed into the Potomac River in Washington,

WASHINGTON — More than a dozen bodies have been pulled from the Potomac River after a plane collided with a military helicopter in midair and crashed into the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) on Wednesday night.

Several federal and state investigations have been launched after an American Airlines flight and a military helicopter collided near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and fell into the Potomac River,

The Potomac River is running around 42 degrees. While search crews may don suits to help with the cold temperatures, passengers from Flight 5342 may only have 30-40 minutes. According to the flight manifest, American Eagle Flight 5342 had 60 passengers and four crew members on board.

There was a mid-air collision between a commercial airliner and a Sikorsky H-60 Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night over the Capital Region. “The FAA and NTSB will investigate,” the statement added.

We are now at the point where we are switching from a rescue operation to a recovery operation,” said John Donnelly, the fire chief in the nation’s capital.

A plane collided in midair with a helicopter approaching Reagan Washington National Airport, near the Potomac River, Wednesday night, officials set. A rescue operation was underway, officials said. Multiple 911 callers reported the crash near the river just before 8:55 p.