American flags at Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration facilities were lowered to half-staff Thursday by order of U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to mark the one-year anniversary of the midair DCA collision involving American Airlines Flight 5342. The department also invited Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport to fly their flags at half-staff. The collision occurred Jan. 29, 2025, over the Potomac River near Reagan National Airport and resulted in the deaths of 67 people.
“Today marks the one-year anniversary of a horrific tragedy over the skies of our nation’s capital – the crash of American Airlines Flight 5342,” Duffy said. “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.”
Duffy also cited emergency responders who arrived at the scene following the DCA collision, adding that efforts continue “to ensure no family ever has to experience such heartbreak again.”
The commemoration comes as the National Transportation Safety Board this week finalized the results of its investigation into the accident. In a public board meeting Tuesday, the NTSB approved findings and safety recommendations addressing airspace design, helicopter routes, air traffic control procedures and collision avoidance technology.
“This complex and comprehensive one-year investigation identified serious and long-standing safety gaps in the airspace over our nation’s capital,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said during the meeting.
The final report is expected to be published on the NTSB’s website in the coming weeks.
