Families of the 67 people killed when an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided near Reagan National Airport gathered Wednesday evening to mark the one-year anniversary of the deadliest aviation accident on U.S. soil since 2001. At the memorial ceremony in Washington, family members renewed calls for federal safety reforms, one day after National Transportation Safety Board investigators testified that the crash was “100% preventable.”
The collision occurred on January 29, 2025, when the aircraft struck the icy Potomac River. Among the dead were 28 figure skaters bound for a national competition. Everyone aboard both aircraft died in the collision.
While Congress moves toward passing legislation that would require advanced collision-prevention systems on aircraft, families are pressing for additional reforms recommended by safety investigators — changes that advocates say could prevent similar disasters.
The memorial ceremony at Constitution Hall in Washington featured musical performances from country music artists and a pipes and drums band. A firefighter who worked the rescue participated in the program, which also included photographs, graduation pictures, and vacation clips from some of the victims.
“While we were powerless in that moment to help our loved ones, we were not powerless to help each other,” said Doug Lane, whose wife Christine Conrad Lane, 49, and son Spencer Lane, 16, an aspiring figure skater, died in the crash. “So that’s what we did, and that’s what we’ve done ever since.”
The aircraft were flying from Wichita, Kansas when they collided.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators testified Tuesday that there was no single cause for the crash. Board Chair Jennifer Homendy said the accident was completely avoidable.
Among the families’ top priorities is legislation requiring aircraft to have advanced collision-prevention systems—a measure the NTSB has recommended for years. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said at the memorial that the bill was close to final passage.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy addressed the families directly. “Obviously you were angry. You couldn’t comprehend, how could this happen? Who could let this happen?” Duffy said. “You had choices, and you chose to pay it forward.”
First responders who rushed to the crash site were honored Wednesday with medals for their rescue and recovery efforts. Many entered the freezing Potomac River in attempts to save lives and later to search for bodies. Matt Collins, brother of passenger Chris Collins, 42, said: “While this has been my family’s worst year, the same is true of many of the first responders who responded on the scene. We recognize the toll this has taken on you, and tonight is our opportunity to say thank you.”
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins announced that a memorial plaque would be established on the Potomac River.
Family members who attended Tuesday’s NTSB hearing described the emotional difficulty of seeing an animation recreating the final moments of the crash. Some wore black shirts bearing the names of first responder units who responded to the disaster.
Rachel Feres, cousin of Peter and Donna Livingston and their two children, Alydia, 11, and Everly, 14, who died in the crash, said: “Honoring the 67 means more than remembering who they were. It means allowing their lives and our love for them to shape what we choose to do going forward.”