Washington, D.C. U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes announced Tuesday that a trial date in April 2027 has been set for lawsuits related to the January 2025 collision between an American Airlines regional jet. The collision killed 67 people near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport earlier this year.
The date was announced during a hearing with lawyers who represent victims’ families, American Airlines, PSA Airlines, and the U.S. government, Reuters reported.
“We are not going to dishonor the people who lost their lives, their family and friends, and we are not going to dishonor the employees of the defendants who work hard to ensure safety by dragging this thing along,” Reyes said.
The trial will consolidate at least two lawsuits filed in September against the airline and the federal government.
American Eagle Flight 5342 was approaching Reagan at night when it collided with a U.S. Army Sikorsky UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River. The helicopter was flying above its published route altitude, the NTSB has reported.
American Airlines has said it will defend itself and PSA Airlines “against any legal action claiming the airline caused or contributed to this accident.”
The crash marked the deadliest aviation disaster in the United States in more than two decades.
This is such a sad incident. I’m am sorry for so many lost souls.
This story was not written properly! The Army helicopter collided with the jet…the helicopter hit the jet! Not the other way around as implied from the writing of the story.
The helicopter hit the plane? Because you said so?Nobody wants to hear about what you think of how the story was written, especially when you are dead wrong in what you said. The investigation shows the helicopter was 100 feet too high and flew into the path of the airliner.
I believe it has clearly been established the army copter was off course. The only question to be decided at trial will be how many millions of dollars get paid to relatives of the deceased.
There is more to this than the actual collision. That low level helicopter route so close to the airport should never have been approved or used except in an emergency. Any pilot knows that 100-200 feet altitude can be gained in a moment’s inattention. Whatever governmental agency approved that route should be a defendent in the litigation.
That’s what I said DA. The helicopter hit the tail of the plane…that’s been established.
Altitude should not be the issue.
The helipcopter shoud never have been over the river.
A trial date 1.5 YEARS down the road IS draqging this out.
The helicopter hit very near the tail of the jet, which was on final. You can believe what you want, but it’s unlikely that the jet backed into the helicopter. The fact that they collided is evidence they were at the same altitude, no matter what radar might have shown.
Yup. Approving a mil training route only 100ft below a final approach path was just an accident waiting to happen. Did nobody ever question the risk of approving this?