# Accident 20250129018192A: Bombardier Inc CL-600-2C10, Arlington, VA, January 29, 2025 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: January 29, 2025, 20:48 local time - Place: Arlington, VA - Airport: Ronald Reagan Washington Natio - Damage: Destroyed - Collision: Midair collision - Phase of flight: Landing: Approach - Operating rules: Air carrier (Part 121) - Operator: VNAA - Location: 38.8426° N, 77.0251° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8426&lon=-77.0251&mi=10 - Aircraft: N709PS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N709PS-2025-04-03) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Bombardier CL-600-2C10 (registry code 1390015, https://openairdocs.org/model/bombardier-cl-600-2c10) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: GE CF34 series (registry code 30015, https://openairdocs.org/engine/ge-cf34-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOMBARDIER INC CL-600-2C10 - Reported engine: GE CF34 SERIES - People aboard: 64 - Fatal injuries: 64 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Airline transport - Pilot flight hours: 3,950 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB DCA25MA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25MA108) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250129018192A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND A ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, COLLIDED IN MIDAIR AND CRASHED INTO THE POTOMAC RIVER NEAR WASHINGTON-RONALD REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT, DC (DCA). ALL 64 OCCUPANTS OF THE CRJ-701 AND THE THREE SOLDIERS IN THE ARMY HELICOPTER WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER WAS FROM THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. IT WAS FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE OVER THE POTOMAC RIVER ALONG HELICOPTER ROUTE 4 FROM NORTH TO SOUTH WHILE ON A REQUIRED ANNUAL CURRENCY / PROFICIENCY EVALUATION. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOOK OFF FROM WICHITA AIRPORT, KANSAS (ICT) AT 17:38 LOCAL TIME (23:38 UTC). PRIOR TO DESCENT, THE FLIGHT CREW BRIEFED THE EXPECTED ARRIVAL PROCEDURE FOR AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 01 AT DCA. -AT 20:39 LOCAL TIME (01:39 UTC) THE POTOMAC APPROACH CONTROLLER CLEARED THE FLIGHT FOR A MOUNT VERNON VISUAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 01. FOUR MINUTES LATER THE CREW CONTACTED DCA TOWER. THE CONTROLLER ASKED IF THE CREW COULD ACCEPT A CIRCLE-TO-LAND RUNWAY 33. -AFTER A BRIEF DISCUSSION BETWEEN THE CREW THEY AGREED TO RUNWAY 33. -AT 08:46:01 THE TOWER CONTROLLER CALLED THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ADVISING THEM THAT A CRJ WAS AT 1200 FEET JUST SOUTH AND OVER THE WILSON BRIDGE CIRCLING TO RUNWAY 33. -AT 08:46:29 THE CREW OF THE CRJ RECEIVED A 1,000 FT AUTOMATED CALL OUT. -AT 08:47:29 THE CREW OF THE CRJ RECEIVED A 500 FT AUTOMATED CALL OUT. -AT 08:47:39 DCA TOWER CALLED PAT25 ASKING THEM IF THEY HAD THE CRJ IN SIGHT. -AT 08:47:40 THE CREW OF THE CRJ RECEIVED AN AUTOMATED TRAFFIC ADVISORY CALL OUT ("TRAFFIC, TRAFFIC"). -AT 08:47:42 THE TOWER DIRECTED PAT 25 TO PASS BEHIND THE CRJ -AT 08:47:58 THE CRJ INCREASED ITS PITCH AND A SECOND LATER A COLLISION OCCURRED BETWEEN THE CRJ AND PAT25. -AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION THE ALTITUDE OF THE CRJ WAS 325 FT (PLUS OR MINUS 25 FT). THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE COLLISION WAS REPORTED AS: (KDCA 300152Z 30014G23KT 270V330 10SM CLR 10/M07 A2990 RMK AO2 PK WND 30033/0108 SLP126 T01001072) THE WRECKAGE LANDED IN THE POTOMAC RIVER AT WATER DEPTHS OF 4-10 FEET. WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED OVER A PERIOD OF 8 DAYS AND BROUGHT TO KDCA HANGAR 7 FOR INVESTIGATION AND ANALYSIS. ## Other aircraft in the event - NONE: no report for this aircraft in the release ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB DCA25MA108](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA25MA108), Jan 30, 2025: Bombardier CL-600-2C10 (N709PS), Washington, DC, destroyed, 67 fatal. Probable cause: The Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) placement of a helicopter route in close proximity to a runway approach path; their failure to regularly review and evaluate helicopter routes and… ## Other reports on N709PS (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20210326002099I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210326002099I), Mar 26, 2021: Bombardier CL-600-2C10 (N709PS), Akron, OH, Minor damage. On the morning of 26 March 2021 flight 5440 cak-phl, aircraft N709PS, experienced a right windshield terminal block failure, leading to sparking, a momentary… - [Incident 20170215005879I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170215005879I), Feb 15, 2017: Bombardier Inc CL-600-2C10 (N709PS), Charlotte, NC, Minor damage. JIA5320 (N709PS) departed RWY36C and struck deer at V1, approximately 133 KTS, on take off roll. Aircraft requested a flyby and it was determined aircraft was… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.