On One-Year Anniversary of ICT-DCA Plane Collision, Davids Honors Victims and Reaffirms Commitment to Aviation Safety

Today, on the one-year anniversary of the tragic collision between American Eagle Flight 5342 and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, Representative Sharice Davids honored the 67 lives lost and reaffirmed her commitment to strengthening aviation safety and accountability. Davids formally submitted a statement into the Congressional Record commemorating the victims and pledging continued action to prevent future tragedies.

Read Davids’ statement commemorating the one-year anniversary here or below:

“I rise today in somber recognition that January 29, 2026, will mark one year since the tragic collision of American Eagle Flight 5342 and U.S. Army callsign PAT 25. 

“On that night one year ago, American Airlines Flight 5342, flying from Wichita, Kansas to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, collided with a UH-60 Army Black Hawk helicopter while on final approach to Runway 33 at DCA. There were no survivors and 67 innocent lives were lost — 60 passengers; 4 flight crew; and 3 Army soldiers. They were our neighbors, our coworkers, and our loved ones.

“For Kansas, this tragedy hit especially close to home. Wichita is the Air Capital of the World, and countless Kansas families have deep ties to aviation — whether through work, training, or innovation. The loss of this flight was not an abstract headline in our state; it was felt deeply in our communities, at kitchen tables, and in workplaces across Kansas.

“While folks across the country embraced the stark reminder that we must never take our time with loved ones for granted, this event also underscored the vital need to enhance our nation’s aviation safety. 

“While nothing can be done to undo this tragedy or bring back those lost on January 29, 2025, we can do everything in our power, working across the aisle, to prevent this from ever happening again. I look forward to working with my colleagues, both Republican and Democrat, to address these issues and keep our skies safe.”

Following the tragic collision, Davids and her Kansas colleagues expressed their steadfast solidarity with the families and communities affected by the tragedy. Davids has taken several additional steps to improve aviation safety and honor the lives lost:

• Met with the victims’ families in Wichita and pledged to be a voice for transparency and reform in the investigation.
• Pressed FAA and NTSB experts in a U.S. Transportation & Infrastructure Committee hearing on air traffic controller shortages and safety protocols.
• Toured the Olathe Air Traffic Control Center to highlight critical staffing needs and renew her call for increased investments in aviation safety infrastructure.
• Responded to initial NTSB recommendations with a commitment to act on any legislative fixes needed to keep passengers and crew safe.
• Pledged to act on recommendations from an initial NTSB investigative hearing on the tragic midair collision.

Davids serves on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and has long championed bipartisan efforts to strengthen transportation safety standards, including by helping pass into law a bipartisan FAA reauthorization.