New videos show clearest view of deadly DC plane crash with debris falling into river after fireball

WASHINGTON, DC: Newly released cellphone footage has provided the clearest view yet of the devastating midair collision between an American Airlines passenger plane and a military Black Hawk helicopter in Washington, DC, on January 29.

The collision, which killed over 40 people, marks the deadliest aviation disaster in the United States in nearly a quarter-century.

New footage reveals shocking moments before deadly midair collision

The footage, obtained by CNN, shows the tragic moment when the two aircraft collided over the Potomac River. The Black Hawk helicopter, with flashing red lights visible at both its tail and nose, is seen approaching from the left.

On the right, the American Airlines jet, identified as a CRJ-700, can be seen descending toward Ronald Reagan National Airport. The crash is sudden and explosive—a massive fireball erupts, sending debris raining down into the icy waters below.

Large sections of the plane are seen plummeting into the river. Investigators later confirmed that the wreckage of the airliner was found in three distinct pieces. The helicopter, which was carrying three soldiers, also spirals downward, its flashing lights still visible in the footage as it disappears into the river.

The new footage surfaced after previously released audio revealed a chilling exchange between air traffic controllers and the helicopter's crew. "Have you spotted the CRJ?" the controller at Reagan Tower was heard asking the helicopter, referring to the passenger plane.

The helicopter, identified by the callsign PAT-25, responded that it saw the jet and would maneuver out of the way. But just moments later, the collision occurred, triggering the deadly midair explosion.

Aviation experts suggest pilot may have misjudged position

Aviation experts have since indicated that the helicopter pilot may have misjudged the plane’s position or even mistaken another bright light in the sky for the aircraft.

"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 expert and former inspector general of the Department of Transportation, told CNN after reviewing the footage.

She added, “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.”

“When you fly at night, the movement of lights is where you focus first, and you have to learn that may be a distraction,” she continued.

Recovery efforts continue as authorities search for answers in deadly DC collision

As of January 31, recovery efforts were ongoing, with more than 40 bodies having been pulled from the Potomac River. Investigators continue to examine the wreckage, seeking to determine the cause of the tragic collision, New York Post reported.

Police boats have combed the banks of the river, while divers work to retrieve remnants of both the plane and the helicopter.

Authorities have already recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the American Airlines jet and are examining the actions of the military pilot and air traffic control. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth confirmed on January 31 that investigators are still searching for the helicopter’s black box recorder.

The American Airlines plane was carrying 60 passengers and four crew members at the time of the crash. The helicopter was carrying three soldiers, all of whom were presumed dead.

Among the victims were a group of teen figure skaters returning from a national meet with their mothers and coaches, an Ohio college student traveling back from her grandfather’s funeral, two Chinese nationals, and a group of hunters returning from a guided trip in Kansas.

In response to the deadly collision, the Federal Aviation Administration on January 31 announced that it would indefinitely bar most helicopters from using low-altitude routes that run under or parallel to the airport’s flight paths.

The investigation into the crash is ongoing, as authorities and experts continue to search for answers to what has become one of the most devastating aviation disasters in US history.