The National breaks down the timeline of the deadly collision between American Airlines flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Washington

A regional jet carrying 64 people collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter while on approach to Reagan National Airport near Washington, DC.

D.C. Crash

American Airlines flight 5342, departing from Wichita, Kansas with 64 passengers, was en route to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. During this journey, a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter from Fort Belvoir was engaged in routine retraining with three soldiers aboard, flying southwards. As the aircraft approached its destination, the control tower at Reagan National Airport cleared flight 5342 for landing.

Just minutes after clearance, the control tower alerted the Black Hawk of the incoming aircraft, flight 5342. Despite this warning, an unavoidable collision occurred moments later. The crash was captured on video at approximately the same time that the control tower activated an alarm to signal the crash.

First responders, numbering around 300, rapidly converged on the crash site within ten minutes of the alarm being sounded. Emergency responders deployed varied resources including patrol boats, helicopters, and ambulances. Despite their efforts throughout the night, the operation transformed into a recovery mission by morning as hopes for a rescue dwindled. Early insights suggest that the collision may have been preventable.



Minute-by-minute breakdown of the D.C. plane crash

American Airlines flight 5342 took off from Wichita, Kansas at 6 22 p.m. Eastern with 64 people on board. Destination, Washington. In Virginia, an Army Black Hawk helicopter like this one left Fort Belvoir Army Base. The three soldiers on board engaged in routine retraining that's required every year. The Black Hawk was headed south. Headed north, approaching the airport to land was flight 5342. At 8 43 p.m. air traffic controllers cleared the flight crew to land at Reagan National Airport. At 8 47 p.m. the control tower warned the Black Hawk about flight 5342. Flight 5342 in sight. Flight 5342. Seconds later, a webcam captured the deadly crash. The sound you can only imagine. Crash, crash, crash. This is alert 3. Crash, crash, crash. 8 48 p.m. the control tower sounded the alarm. 8 58 p.m. first responders descended on the scene and leapt into action in a frantic rescue effort. It's an active operation that's going to last many hours as we continue to work through recovery efforts and rescue operations. About 300 responders answered the call in patrol boats, helicopters and ambulances. But by morning it would be deemed a recovery mission, not a rescue. I think this was preventable, absolutely.

A ceasefire is in effect between Hamas and Israel after just over two years of war. An exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinians held prisoner is set to take place in the coming days, and U.S President Donald Trump is set to visit the region on Monday.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Middle East Conflict

Trump set to visit Middle East as peace plan take effect

The families of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023 are eagerly awaiting the return of their loved ones. The peace deal between Israel and Hamas would see the hostages returned within 72 hours of its implementation Friday.

Families of hostages in Gaza await their release

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he's had phone calls with Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump about defence and energy infrastructure. Russian strikes have led to widespread blackouts in Ukraine.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Trump holds call with Zelenskyy after Russian strikes

Gaza City lies in devastation — returning Palestinians find their homes reduced to rubble and familiar streets erased. It comes after a U.S-brokered peace deal came into effect.

Sderot

Gaza City in ruins as Palestinians return to find only rubble

About 200 U.S. troops have begun arriving in Israel to set up a coordination center aimed at facilitating the flow of humanitarian aid, as well as logistical and security assistance into Gaza. They are not expected to enter the territory.

Jerusalem

U.S. troops arriving in Israel to oversee Gaza ceasefire

North Korea has displayed one of its latest intercontinental ballistic missiles at a military parade in the capital, Pyongyang. Leader Kim Jong Un and senior officials from China, Russia and Vietnam were in attendance.

Pyongyang

North Korean weapons on display at Pyongyang parade

President Donald Trump says the U.S. will reimpose 100% tariffs on Chinese imports after Beijing curbed exports of rare-earth minerals, ending months of trade calm.

Global Tariffs

Trump revives U.S.-China trade war with new tariffs

The White House Budget Office said mass firings of federal workers began on Friday as the government shutdown stretched into its second week. More than 4,000 employees across multiple agencies will receive layoff notices, the office said in a court filing.

Mass layoffs begin as shutdown stretches into second week

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday for keeping "the flame of democracy burning amid growing darkness." Machado opened up to CBS News about her decades of fighting for fair elections in an exclusive interview while in hiding.

Caracas

María Corina Machado wins Nobel Peace Prize

Eighteen people remain unaccounted for after a devastating blast rocked a military explosives plant in Tennessee. Residents miles away reported feeling the force of the explosion.

McEwen

Eighteen missing after blast at Tennessee military explosives plant

U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to the Middle East on Sunday to mark the first phase of his Gaza peace plan. Israel said a ceasefire took effect Friday and its military has begun to withdraw forces from parts of Gaza.

Trump prepares Middle East trip after Gaza peace plan agreement

Layoffs of federal workers begin as the government shutdown enters Day 10, OMB Director Russ Vought says. Some federal employees received notices Friday telling them they will be laid off in 60 days, CBS News has confirmed. Nancy Cordes has more.

Federal workers start receiving layoff notices amid shutdown

French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named Sebastien Lecornu as prime minister, reappointing him after he quit the job earlier this week.

Paris

Macron reappoints Lecornu as French PM days after he quit the job

A federal judge has temporarily blocked the deployment of National Guard troops anywhere in the state of Illinois. CBS News' Ian Lee reports.

Chicago

Judge temporarily blocks National Guard deployment to Illinois

The Israeli military has begun withdrawing troops following a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. The deal, brokered by the U.S. and Egypt, includes releasing hostages and a plan for Gaza's future governance.

Gaza ceasefire agreement has come into effect, Israeli military says

Venezuelan political opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

Stockholm

U.S. President Donald Trump will travel to Egypt and Israel this weekend to attend the signing of the Gaza peace agreement, address Israel's parliament and witness the release of hostages.

Trump to visit Middle East for Gaza peace deal signing

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted on one count of bank fraud and one count of giving false statements. She called the charges baseless and politically motivated, accusing President Donald Trump of using the Justice Department for revenge.

New York

NY Attorney General Letitia James indicted on federal fraud charges

China dramatically expanded its rare earths export controls on Thursday (October 9), adding five new elements and extra scrutiny for semiconductor users as Beijing tightens control over the sector ahead of talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping.

Beijing

China tightens rare earth export controls ahead of U.S. talks

A French court on Thursday (October 9) rejected the appeal of a former construction worker found guilty last year of the aggravated rape of Gisele Pelicot, and increased his prison sentence by a year to 10 years, his lawyer said

Sentence increased for man convicted of raping Gisele Pelicot

At least two people have died in a powerful 7.4 earthquake that struck the south east coast of the Philippines on Friday (October 10). Authorities had initially issued evacuation warnings following tsunami threats; however, these have now been lifted.

Davao Oriental

Philippines hit by 7.4 magnitude earthquake, at least two dead

Peru’s Congress has voted to impeach President Dina Boluarte on grounds of moral incapacity, plunging the country into fresh political turmoil after months of unrest.

Quito

Peru's President Dina Boluarte impeached

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that his government has approved a plan to release all remaining hostages in Gaza. The move is part of President Trump’s peace plan and could bring an end to the two-year conflict in the region.

Israeli government approves framework to release hostages

New York Attorney General Letitia James has been indicted by a grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia. She faces two separate charges, one count of bank fraud and one count of false statements to a financial institution.

Alexandria

Federal grand jury indicts New York AG Letitia James

Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas signed an agreement on Thursday to cease fire and free Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, in the first phase of U.S. President Donald Trump's initiative to end the two-year war in Gaza.

Trump says Israel hostages to be freed early next week

The U.S. Senate held its seventh round of votes Thursday on Democratic and Republican plans to fund and reopen the government, but once again the bills failed to pass.

Senate votes to reopen government fail again on 9th day of shutdown

The chemistry award is the third 2025 Nobel Prize to be announced this week. Three U.S. scientists won the award in chemistry for creating a new molecular structure.

U.S. scientist trio win Nobel Prize in chemistry

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of wanting to sow "chaos" in Ukraine by launching strikes on his country's energy grid and railway infrastructure, in comments published Thursday.

Zelenskyy says Russia aims to sow 'chaos' with energy strikes

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Wednesday (October 8) that Hamas has agreed to release hostages and Israel will pull back its troops in Gaza in the "first phase" of a peace deal. CBS News' Debora Patta reports.

Israel and Hamas agree to phase one of peace deal

Russia and China are sending high-level representatives to North Korea for celebrations honoring 80 years of the ruling party. CBS News' Ramy Inocencio reports.

See The Full Story

D.C. Crash