D.C. Firefighters Recall Harrowing Response to Deadly Plane and Helicopter Crash
WASHINGTON, D.C. — First responders who rushed to the devastating collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over the Potomac River described the scene as overwhelming and unlike anything they had ever encountered.
D.C. Fire and EMS marine pilot CJ Isbell, who was among the first to arrive, called the experience “a nightmare.”
“With years on the job, you think you’ve seen it all, but that night was beyond anything I could have imagined,” Isbell told NBC Washington. “The scale of it—the number of victims, the debris, the sheer devastation—it was like something out of a movie, not real life.”
The collision, which occurred on January 29 as the American Airlines flight prepared to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, sent both aircraft plunging into the river, claiming 67 lives.
A Chaotic and Overwhelming Scene
Firefighter and EMS diver Steve Hater, who also responded to the crash, recalled the difficulty of processing the destruction.
“No matter how much experience you have, nothing prepares you for something like that,” Hater said.
Isbell and his crew were alerted by a phone call and immediately deployed their fireboat, reaching the crash site in under ten minutes. Despite having night vision and thermal imaging equipment, they struggled to see through the darkness. Instead, the strong odor of jet fuel told them they were close.
“As we approached, we saw part of the fuselage sticking out of the water, a massive debris field, and a thick layer of jet fuel covering the surface,” Isbell explained. “Our first priority was to check for survivors, so we began searching inside the fuselage, hoping to find anyone still alive.”
Hater noted that while visibility in the water was unusually clear due to the cold temperatures, making sense of what they saw was difficult.
“It was just wreckage everywhere, a tangled mess,” he said. “It took a moment to even comprehend what we were looking at.”
Coping with the Aftermath
Both first responders acknowledged that the tragic events of that night left a lasting impact. They continue to process the emotional toll of the experience with the support of colleagues and loved ones.
“I’ve leaned on my family and my fellow firefighters,” Hater shared. “Talking about it—just being able to be open with the people who were there—that’s helped the most.”
As investigations into the crash continue, those who responded remain focused on healing while honoring the lives lost in the tragedy.