Washington, DC – USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy ordered flags outside DOT and FAA buildings be flown at half-staff Thursday to mark the one-year anniversary of the deadly mid-air collision involving American Airlines Flight 5342.  67 people lost their lives January 29, 2025, when an army Black Hawk helicopter collided with the passenger jet over the Potomac River as it made its descent into Reagan National Airport.  

“While twelve months have passed, the loss of those 67 souls and the impact it had on their loved ones, their communities, and the country remains painfully fresh,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “I want to once again extend my deepest condolences to our impacted families, as well as express gratitude to the countless emergency service workers who responded instantaneously. Nothing can return those cherished 67 souls, but we have and will continue to push to ensure no family ever has to experience such heartbreak again." 

The solemn anniversary comes just days after the National Transportation Safety Board issued its findings into the crash, citing years of ignored “years of warnings” of helicopter traffic dangers at DCA.  

In a public board meeting Tuesday, the NTSB Board concluded that the proximity of the helicopter route to the runway contributed to the crash, combined with failures by multiple organizations to identify and address known risks. The board also made 50 recommendations based on the investigation including: 

• Reassessing helicopter routes near DCA 

• Integrate helicopter route information into approach procedures 

• Enhance controller training on visual separation 

• Implement time-based flow management to reduce traffic surges. 

The complete findings and recommendations are available on the NTSB website.