Live updates: DC plane crash investigation continues as families mourn tragedy | CNN
ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - JANUARY 30: Emergency response units work at the crash site of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after the plane crashed last night on approach to Reagan National Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. The American Airlines flight from Wichita, Kansas collided in midair with a military helicopter while approaching the airport. According to reports there were no survivors amongst the 67 people on board both aircraft. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)
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Live Updates The latest on the DC-area midair plane collision
WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 30: U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters from the Resolute Desk after signing an executive order to appoint the deputy administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration in the Oval Office at the White House on January 30, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump also signed a memorandum ordering an immediate assessment of aviation safety and ordering an elevation of what he called “competence” over “D.E.I.” (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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Plane’s black boxes recovered as new videos show moment of midair collision near Washington, DC

Lex Harvey Aditi Sangal
By Dalia Faheid, Taylor Romine, Hanna Park, Karina Tsui, Lex Harvey, Andy Rose, Amanda Musa, Jay Croft, Zoe Sottile, Alaa Elassar and Aditi Sangal, CNN
Updated 1:52 PM EST, Fri January 31, 2025
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Ex-Black Hawk helicopter pilot believes three things went wrong in plane collision
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What we're covering here

• FAA action near airport: The Federal Aviation Administration has indefinitely shut down the low-altitude helicopter corridor that was in use at the time of Wednesday night’s fatal midair collision near Reagan National Airport, an FAA official tells CNN. Just a day before, another flight was forced to abort its first landing after a helicopter flew near its flight path.

• New videos of collision: The National Transportation Safety Board has recovered the flight data and voice recorders, known as black boxes. Meanwhile, videos obtained by CNN show previously unseen angles of the collision – the deadliest for US carriers since 2001.

• Recovery operation: Efforts were suspended last night with at least 14 people still missing. The jet, flying from Wichita, Kansas, was carrying 64 people, while three soldiers were aboard the helicopter. All are presumed dead. A groom-to-be pilot, a daughter of Indian immigrants and figure skating champions were among the victims.

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The NTSB will hold briefing on collision this afternoon

From CNN’s Ross Levitt

The National Transportation Safety Board will hold a briefing for the media at 4pm ET on the investigation into the fatal plane collision over Washington, DC.

The press briefing will be held at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

CNN previously reported the NTSB recovered and began processing the recorders – known as the black boxes – from the CRJ-700 airplane involved in the crash.

American Airlines retires Flight 5342 after tragic collision

From CNN’s Alexandra Skores

American Airlines will no longer use flight number AA5342, following Wednesday’s deadly plane collision that killed 67 people, the airline told CNN.

On Friday night, American Airlines will resume service from Wichita to Washington, DC, after it was canceled following Wednesday’s collision.

The first flight will operate as AA5677, the airline said.

Avid fisherman among victims killed in collision

From CNN’s Zenebou Sylla

Steve Johnson, an avid fisherman and union worker, was among the victims killed in the midair collision near Washington’s Reagan National Airport.

Johnson lived in Waldorf, Maryland, and was a member of the United Association of Union Plumbers, Pipefitters and Steamfitters Local 602 – a union representing workers in the heating, air conditioning, refrigeration, and process piping industries in Prince George’s County. Johnson and other three union members were killed in the crash, CNN affiliate WJLA reported.

“We’re heartbroken to share that four UA Brothers were among the victims of the tragic crash of American Airlines Flight 5342,” the union’s national leadership said in a statement on X Thursday. “May they rest in peace.”

The deaths will “be a shock to the community, they were all very close from what I know,” Megan Davey, a friend who grew up with Johnson and some of the other victims, told WJLA.

“I know at least one of them is a huge staple of the community with his fishing and hunting,” Davey said. “It’s a real loss and it’s gonna be tough, especially with their younger families. It’s something that you just don’t expect to hear coming out of a town in southern Maryland.”

Young Chilean ice skater and his father among those killed in midair collision

From CNNE’s Nacho Girón Agustín Milic, Mauricio Torres, Ana Melgar and Andrea Fernández

Ice skater Franco Aparicio and his father, Luciano Aparicio, were passengers on the plane that collided with a helicopter near Reagan National Airport in Washington, a source close to the family told CNN on Friday.

Franco Aparicio was a member of the Washington Figure Skating Club and a volunteer on the Junior Board of the organization.

“We are devastated,” the organization posted on its Instagram account, adding that several of the deceased victims were beloved members of their community.

Franco’s sister, Isabella Aparicio, posted a message on social media in memory of her brother and father. “The best brother. You left too soon, sweet boy,” she wrote.

In another post, the young woman wrote about her father, Luciano: “Thank you, Dad, for your endless support and for always believing in me, always putting others before yourself, I love you and I miss you always.”

Here’s what we know about the investigation of the DC air collision and its victims

From CNN’s Jay Croft

Here is a roundup of key information known by midday Friday about Wednesday’s fatal midair collision near Washington’s Reagan National Airport between an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter:

  • The Federal Aviation Administration shut down the low-altitude helicopter corridor that was being used when the crash occurred, an official told CNN. The specialized route is for law enforcement, medevac, military, and government helicopters. FAA charts show helicopters must be below 200 feet above sea level.
  • President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that the Black Hawk helicopter was “flying too high, by a lot.” It is unknown if he based this statement on official information or speculation. On Thursday, Trump blamed Democrats and DEI initiatives, without evidence.
  • Trump’s latest post followed a report by The New York Times the helicopter might have been outside its flight plan, higher than it was supposed to be, and at least half a mile off course.
  • “Was the Black Hawk too high? Was it on course? Right now, we don’t quite know,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday.
  • The Black Hawk’s recorder hasn’t been recovered. Two black boxes were found on the plane and were being analyzed, National Transportation Safety Board member J. Todd Inman said.
  • Investigators are trying to determine if the helicopter’s crew was wearing night vision goggles.
  • One air traffic controller was performing two jobs at the time of the collision, an air traffic control source told CNN. That is not necessarily uncommon, the president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said.

Meanwhile, more is being learned about the 64 people on the plane. Those confirmed dead include friends on an annual hunting trip, legal professionals, and at least six members of the figure skating community. Three crew members were on the helicopter.

  • Hockey player Peter Livingston, his wife, Donna, and their figure-skating daughters Everly, 14, and Alydia, 11, were regulars at a northern Virginia ice skating facility. They were killed on their way home from Wichita, Kansas, where they participated in US Figure Skating Championship events.
  • Kansas biology teacher Lindsey Fields was the president-elect of the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT). She was on a business trip to Washington.
  • Kiah Duggins, a civil rights attorney and Harvard Law School graduate, was returning home to the Washington area after visiting family in Wichita.
  • Michael “Mikey” Stovall and Jesse Pitcher were traveling after an annual hunting trip to Kansas.
  • Vikesh Patel was a GE Aerospace employee, the company said.
  • Casey Crafton was a father of three from Salem, Connecticut.
  • Olivia Ter was a 12-year-old figure skater.
  • Skater Spencer Lane, 16, and his mother, Christine Lane, 49, had also been in Wichita.

Fourteen victims remained to be recovered as the search was suspended for the evening Thursday, according to a source familiar with the efforts.

Read more about some of the victims identified so far here.

Trump is “exploiting disaster,” congressman from Illinois says

From CNN's Zoe Sottile
President Donald Trump speaks in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, on Thursday.
President Donald Trump speaks in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, on Thursday.
Alex Brandon/AP

President Donald Trump is “exploiting disaster” in the aftermath of the fatal collision over Washington, DC, according to Rep. Jesús García.

García, a Democrat who represents Illinois, said that Trump is “exploiting disaster to continue to spread racist lies and divisiveness across the country, simply to score political points with his base,” in a Friday morning interview with CNN.

The congressman added that air travel fatalities have fallen dramatically in recent years.

“We don’t know what occurred and whether it was human error that caused this flight or other factors,” he said. “That is what we will learn. And once we have the facts and recommendations, our subcommittee on aviation will be prepared to act.”

Here's how recovery teams are processing victims' remains and working with families

From CNN's Gabe Cohen

Response teams have set up a mobile morgue near the crash site, where medical personnel are processing the victims’ remains as divers recover them from the Potomac River.

The large red tents, ambulances and medical teams are set up at the Metropolitan Police Department’s Air Support Unit located at the base of the Frederick Douglas Bridge.

Once the remains are processed, they are taken to a morgue, so the victims’ families can eventually receive the remains of their loved ones.

As of Friday morning, no remains had been brought to the mobile morgue in more than 12 hours, according to a law enforcement source. Officials had determined they recovered all victims’ remains they can access without moving some of the wreckage with heavy machinery, which will soon be brought to the crash site.

Some background: All 67 people on board the American Airlines regional jet and US Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided midair Wednesday night are presumed dead – a grim tragedy that has left a heartbreaking trail of mourning families in its wake. It will be remembered as the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since 2001.

Air traffic control is a “meritocracy,” says former FAA air traffic manager

From CNN’s Zoe Sottile

The air traffic control profession is a “meritocracy,” according to Michael McCormick, a former FAA air traffic manager and associate professor in air traffic management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

“Only the best can go through the rigorous selection program, the screening program and then one-to-five-year training program prior to receiving their certification,” McCormick told CNN Friday morning.

McCormick’s comments come after President Donald Trump blamed DEI policies for the collision.

McCormick, who shut down New York City air traffic on 9/11, also said it was common practice for one air traffic controller to work two different tower positions.

“In this instance, it was actually a good thing, because now you have one controller who’s actually talking to and controlling both of the aircraft,” he said.

“Otherwise, if it was a separate controller, then the two controllers would have to constantly coordinate back and forth about what is happening and what they’re choosing to do.”

Some context: At the time of the collision, one air traffic controller was working two different tower positions and handling both local and helicopter traffic, an air traffic control source told CNN. The New York Times reported that an internal preliminary Federal Aviation Administration report says staffing was “not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic.”

“A tremendous loss”: Kansas biology teacher killed in collision

From CNN’s David Williams
Lindsey Fields was killed in Wednesday’s crash of American Airlines Flight 5432.
Lindsey Fields was killed in Wednesday’s crash of American Airlines Flight 5432.
Lindsey Fields/Facebook

Kansas biology teacher Lindsey Fields was aboard American Airlines Flight 5432 and was killed in Wednesday’s midair collision above Washington, DC.

Fields was the president-elect of the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT). The organization reported her death in a statement and said she was traveling to Washington to “represent the NABT community and advocate for excellence in life science education.”

“This is a tremendous loss. Please keep Lindsey, the other victims, and their families in your hearts. We also ask that you respect the privacy of her loved ones at this time,” the statement said.
Fields was the Biology Department Chair at Butler Community College in Kansas, where she taught biology, anatomy and physiology, according to her faculty biography.

“Outside of the classroom I enjoy cooking, reading, hiking (any type of activity outdoors really) and spending time with my family and Great Danes. I love to travel to the mountains and spend time fishing,” she wrote in her biography.

FAA indefinitely closes helicopter routes near Reagan National Airport, official says

From CNN’s Pete Muntean

The low-altitude helicopter corridor that was in use at the time of this week’s fatal mid-air collision has indefinitely been shut down by the Federal Aviation Administration, an agency official tells CNN.

The move is the most significant action taken by the FAA since an American Airlines regional jet and an Army Blackhawk helicopter collided midair on Wednesday night before plunging into the frigid Potomac River in clear weather. Sixty seven people were killed.

The US Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was using what’s known as helicopter Route 4, a specialized corridor utilized by law enforcement, medevac, military, and government helicopters to fly east of Reagan National Airport. FAA charts show helicopters in the corridor must be at or below 200 feet above sea level.

The route that has been closed is north of the Wilson Bridge, which connects D.C. and Virginia, the FAA said.

The administration has also closed Route 1, a helicopter route that runs south of the Key Bridge connecting DC’s Georgetown neighborhood to Rosslyn, Virginia, has also been closed, the official said.

As chaos unfolds at the FAA, Trump is using DEI as his latest scapegoat, senator says

From CNN’s Amanda Musa

President Donald Trump is using his latest attacks on DEI initiatives within federal agencies to distract from chaos at the Federal Aviation Administration, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy from Connecticut says.

On Thursday, Trump blamed Democrats and DEI initiatives for the deadly midair collision involving a passenger plane and a military helicopter, despite the investigation being in its early stages.

“I have common sense, OK?” Trump said when pressed what evidence he had to give credence to the blame he piled on the Biden and Obama administrations. “Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t.”

Trump has also insinuated that the country’s safety is “at risk” when “women” and “Black people” are at the helm of federal agencies like the FAA, Murphy told CNN Friday.

“It’s kind of incredible that a president of the United States can say that,” Murphy said. “What he is saying is that the only people who are competent to run anything in this country are White men.”

The FAA, which is part of the DOT, is operating without a permanent administrator since Mike Whitaker stepped down earlier this month. A number of other leadership positions are also vacant, the FAA’s website shows. In remarks late Thursday morning, Trump announced that Chris Rocheleau, a former chief operating officer of the National Business Aviation Association, will lead the FAA in an acting capacity.

The president also let go the entirety of the FAA’s safety advisory board, which oversees safety recommendations for the administration, according to Murphy.

“Instead of actually explaining why he left the FAA leaderless and without any direction,” Murphy added, “he’s blaming Black people and blaming women who work at the FAA without any evidence.”

“They were just a big personality family.” Virginia family of 4 were among victims in DC air collision

From CNN’s David Williams
Left to right: Donna, Alydia, Everly and Peter Livingston.
Left to right: Donna, Alydia, Everly and Peter Livingston.
Livingston family photos

It was rare to walk into the Ashburn Ice House in northern Virginia and not see a member of the Livingston family.

Everly Livingston, 14, and her 11-year-old sister, Alydia, were promising young figure skaters, dad Peter Livingston played hockey, and mom Donna was active in the girls’ lives, family friend Kim Urban told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.

The family died in Wednesday night’s crash of American Airline’s Flight 5342 on their way home from Wichita, Kansas, where they participated in events surrounding the US Figure Skating Championships.

Urban said her children had skated with Everly and Alydia for years and were devastated by the news.

In social media post, Trump says the Black Hawk helicopter was “flying too high, by a lot”

From CNN's Samantha Waldenberg

President Donald Trump took to Truth Social this morning to post that the Black Hawk helicopter was “flying too high, by a lot” before the midair collision near Reagan National Airport that resulted in the deaths of 67 people.

That post comes as the New York Times is reporting that the helicopter in Wednesday’s collision may have been flying outside its approved flight path, at a higher altitude than it was supposed to be, and at least half a mile off the approved route.

It’s unclear whether the president’s post was based on an official briefing or were just speculation. Trump’s post also came as his newly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was on Fox News this morning suggesting that “we don’t quite know” yet who was at the wrong altitude.

“We are looking at altitude. And the president was clear about that. Someone was at the wrong altitude. The investigation will help us understand that. Was the Black Hawk too high? Was it on course? Right now, we don’t quite know,” Hegseth said Friday.

An investigation into the collision is underway as recovery efforts have continued into Friday.

Ground stop issued at Reagan National Airport until 8:45 a.m. due to volume, FAA says

From CNN's Gregory Clary
People work inside air traffic control at Reagan National Airport on Thursday.
People work inside air traffic control at Reagan National Airport on Thursday.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

There is a ground stop issued at Washington Reagan National Airport until 8:45 a.m. due to airport volume, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The airport is operating short of one of its typical runways due to the crash from Wednesday.

Recorder inside Black Hawk helicopter has not been retrieved yet, NTSB member says

From CNN's Amanda Musa

As investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board piece together what lead to a deadly midair collision near Reagan National Airport, NTSB member Todd Inman said crews are working to access data from the helicopter.

Two black boxes have been recovered from the plane, and are being analyzed at the NTSB’s lab, according to Inman. As for the helicopter, Inman said the military aircraft is fitted with a recorder of some kind, but it’s not clear if it contains voice recordings, data or both.

Meanwhile, it’s too early to speculate on what exactly occurred, Inman said.

“We hope to have the preliminary report out in 30 days. The overall investigation will probably take a year, but that’s because it has to be accurate,” Inman said. “We’re not going to put something out quick just so we can end some speculation.”

The headline and post have been updated.

More details are emerging about the investigation into the deadly midair collision. Here's what we know

From CNN's Andy Rose, Pete Muntean and Majlie de Puy Kamp
A diving team and police boat are seen around the wreckage site in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, on Thursday.
A diving team and police boat are seen around the wreckage site in the Potomac River near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, on Thursday.
Jose Luis Magana/AP

More details are emerging on the investigation into Wednesday’s deadly collision between a military helicopter and commercial passenger jet approaching Reagan National Airport, with concerns raised about both the path of the aircraft and staffing levels.

Here is what we know this morning:

Military helicopter may have been flying too high: The Black Hawk helicopter may have been flying outside of its approved flight path, which called for it to have an altitude of no more than 200 feet, according to the New York Times. The newspaper said four people briefed on the matter also said the Black Hawk may have been a half-mile off of its designated route. There is a margin of only 350 feet between the designated paths of the helicopter and the commercial jet, meaning any significant deviation could be disastrous, CNN aviation analyst and pilot Miles O’Brien said.

Former Black Hawk pilot says helicopter needed more crew: Questions also are being raised about whether the helicopter was adequately staffed in the crowded airspace around Reagan National. Elizabeth McCormack, a former Black Hawk pilot, told CNN’s Jake Tapper Thursday that having a crew of three on the ill-fated flight was inadequate. “You only have visibility from the front 180 degrees. Your crew chiefs clear the back,” McCormack said. “If you only have one crew chief, how much can you clear? I think that was a major issue.”

Air traffic controller was doing 2 jobs: Coordinating both local plane and helicopter traffic, typically performed by two separate air traffic controllers at DCA, was being handled by one person at the time of the crash, an air traffic control source told CNN. Controllers are trained on multiple positions, and it is not uncommon for them to perform two jobs at once during slower periods, the president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said.

Past near-misses: On two occasions in the past three years, passenger planes had to take evasive action to avoid helicopters while on approach to Reagan National, a CNN review of incident reports found. In both cases, the pilots were warned to the presence of the other aircraft by the plane’s Traffic Collision Avoidance System. In a third incident involving two helicopters, an air traffic controller’s report said “there isn’t enough staffing to fill all positions in the tower (cabin).”

Helicopter may have mistaken bright light for plane in fatal midair collision, experts say

From CNN's Hanna Park

Aviation experts are raising concerns the helicopter pilot may have misjudged the position of the doomed American Airlines plane, mistaking a brighter, moving light in the night sky for the aircraft he’d been instructed to track, as seen in video obtained by CNN.

“We do see other lights in the area, particularly one bright light from another aircraft, when the air traffic control tower asked the helicopter, ‘Do you have the plane in sight?’” Mary Schiavo, an aviation analyst and former inspector general of the Department of Transportation, told CNN’s Kasie Hunt on Friday.

“The first time I looked at that video, I focused on the moving light, not the stationary light, which actually wasn’t stationary. It’s just a matter of vantage point. There’s a concern that the helicopter pilot may have focused on the brighter, moving light and mistaken it for the plane he was supposed to track,” she added.

Flying at night presents challenges for pilots, Schiavo noted: “When you fly at night, the movement of lights is where you focus first, and you have to learn that may be a distraction.”

“The helicopter was on the usual flight path for helicopters in Washington, DC, but it may have been too high — possibly not at its assigned altitude or the typical altitude for such operations, which is below the landing path for the airport,” she said.

Key things to know as officials start another day of recovery efforts in DC plane collision

From CNN staff
Wreckage is seen in the Potomac River on Thursday.
Wreckage is seen in the Potomac River on Thursday.
Petty Officer 1st Class Brandon Giles/US Coast Guard/Getty Images

Officials are investigating the cause of a collision Wednesday night between American Airlines Flight 5342 and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter. Authorities have said there were no survivors.

The American Airlines regional jet was carrying 64 people. Three soldiers were on board the military helicopter.

The National Transportation Safety Board will look at a wide range of potential causes of the collision. Exclusive videos obtained by CNN Friday show new angles of the aircraft collision.

Catch up on some of the latest details:

  • Recovery: There are 14 victims remaining that have yet to be recovered, according to a source familiar with the efforts, as the search suspended for the evening Thursday. There are four people who are accounted for, but they remain pinned inside the plane, the source said. Two soldiers inside the helicopter have yet to be removed.
  • Manifest: The NTSB and other officials are waiting for all of the families of the victims to be notified before they release any details about their identities, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said. The governor said she expects to have the flight manifest by Friday.
  • The victims: Friends and families are confirming the deaths of loved ones who were passengers or staff on the plane. Those confirmed include friends on an annual hunting trip, legal professionals and at least six members of the figure skating community.
  • Staffing: There was one air traffic controller working two different tower positions at the time of the collision Wednesday night, an air traffic control source tells CNN. The source describes the set-up, which had one person handling both local and helicopter traffic, as not uncommon.
  • The collision: NTSB member Todd Inman said it was a “very quick, rapid impact” and there are so far no indications that emergency evacuation slides were deployed. The NTSB asked for patience, saying they need time to verify information, according to the agency’s chair, Jennifer Homendy.
  • The investigation: Homendy said the NTSB will look at the “human, machine and the environment” to determine the cause of the deadly collision. Its goal is to have a preliminary report within 30 days, Inman said. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder — known as black boxes — from the American Airlines plane have been recovered, the NTSB told CNN.
  • Military helicopter: The soldiers flying the Black Hawk helicopter involved in Wednesday’s crash were from the Army’s 12th Aviation Battalion. The instructor pilot who was conducting a training mission had about 1,000 flight hours, and the copilot who was being evaluated had about 500 hours, according to Army official Jonathan Koziol, a retired CW5 aviation expert and chief of staff of the Army’s Aviation Directorate.
  • Close calls: Just a day before the fatal collision, another flight approaching Reagan was forced to abort its first landing and go around after a helicopter flew near its flight path, CNN has learned. At least two other pilots in the last three years reported near-misses with helicopters while landing at the airport.
  • White House response: President Donald Trump said he would be meeting with some of the families of the victims, but didn’t say when. On Thursday, despite the investigation being in its early stages, Trump blamed Democrats and DEI initiatives for the crash.

NYT: Black Hawk helicopter in fatal DC collision may have strayed from flight path

From CNN's Hanna Park
The Coast Guard investigates aircraft wreckage on the Potomac River on Thursday.
The Coast Guard investigates aircraft wreckage on the Potomac River on Thursday.
Handout/Getty Images

The Black Hawk helicopter involved in Wednesday’s deadly collision may have been flying outside its approved flight path, at a higher altitude than permitted, and at least half a mile off its designated route, The New York Times reported, citing four people briefed on the matter but not authorized to speak publicly.

This deviation, if confirmed, raises serious concerns about compliance with flight regulations in the moments leading up to the crash. The possibility was mentioned Thursday by Sen. Tammy Duckworth of Illinois after she was briefed by the Federal Aviation Administration.

“This particular Black Hawk was under visual flight rules, they had to be providing separation with the landing aircraft, they were responsible for it,” Duckworth told CNN’s Jake Tapper. She stressed the need to determine whether the helicopter was on its correct route.

Duckworth, a US Army veteran who was a Black Hawk pilot during the Iraq War, said she needs to know now “– from the FAA and from the NTSB investigators – who departed from their route, because that Black Hawk needed to be hugging that eastern riverbank off the Potomac, and the regional jet, of course, was on short final for, I believe, runway three.”

“So, at some point, they converged on each other and lost that lateral separation. And we need to see who drifted into whose flight path,” Duckworth said.

New angles of the midair collision are seen in exclusive videos obtained by CNN

From CNN’s Isaac Yee, Teele Rebane and Avery Schmitz

Editor’s Note: These videos contain sensitive material that may be hard to watch.

Exclusive videos obtained by CNN show previously unseen angles of the collision between an American Airlines flight and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River on Wednesday night.

The videos, both shot on cell phones, show video replays of surveillance cameras capturing the crash between the passenger flight and the military helicopter.

In the first video, the helicopter can be seen flying at speed over the Potomac from the left side of the screen. The Black Hawk has red flashing lights on its tail and body and a green light toward its nose. The American Airlines plane can be seen flying toward the airport. The Black Hawk then collides with the airliner, causing an explosion. The airliner is then seen spinning toward the river before impacting the water. The Black Hawk is also seen falling toward the water, with its flashing lights still visible.

The second surveillance video appears to be shot from the airport grounds. It shows the plane descending into Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport runway 33 from the left and the helicopter flying above the river on the right. They continue to fly toward one another at a low altitude, eventually colliding in a large explosion. After the explosion, both aircraft can be seen falling into the river.

Click below to watch the footage

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Exclusive: CNN obtains videos showing new angles of DC plane crash
00:41 - Source: CNN