What’s Next For The Families of Those Killed in the Washington D.C. American Airlines Crash?

Jeff Korek, Aviation Accident Attorney and Senior Trial Partner at GLK Law, Discusses Legal Aspects of the DC Plane Crash

WASHINGTON D.C., VIRGINIA (February 12, 2025) – An estimated 67 people have tragically died after an American Airlines plane collided with an Army helicopter over the Potomac River in Washington D.C.

The crash took place on January 29 as the American Airlines plane was descending into the Reagan National Airport. It collided with an Army Blackhawk helicopter on a training mission as it flew over the Potomac River.

Tragically, all people aboard the American Airlines flight and Blackhawk army helicopter died. Their bodies have since been recovered from the river along with the black boxes on both aircraft.

Jeff Korek is a senior trial partner at GLK Law and lead trial attorney representing the family of Carlos Berl who died in a plane crash during the production of American Made. Jeff joined NTD News to discuss important legal questions raised by the recent DC crash.

Korek urges that there should not be a rush to judgment about who caused the collision. That determination should flow from a careful review of the facts.

According to Korek, “people jumping to conclusions as to what happened or putting blame on one side or the other is usually not helpful. And one of the things we learned from the Colosseum crash is that everybody had their own theories, but until we started evaluating all the evidence, it didn’t become clear as to exactly what happened. And I think the same holds true.”

Several different parties could face legal responsibility for the tragic loss of life in this crash. He continues, “I don’t think there’s any question that the defendants in this case will be PSA Airlines, which is who operated the flight 5432, which is an Ohio corporation, fully owned subsidiary of the American Airlines Group. Then there will also be a case against the United States for the Blackhawk.”

There may also be a case against the manufacturer of either aircraft if a critical malfunction contributed to the crash. Normally, commercial aircraft are equipped with safety features to identify other aircraft in their vicinity.

Korek stressed that victims of aviation disasters are entitled to numerous forms of compensation through a civil claim. This will include lost wages and loss of guidance to small children.

Going forward, it is important that steps are taken to prevent similar tragedies at this airport. Korek proposed a number of solutions that could prevent similar accidents.

He states, “having one air traffic controller assigned to as busy a corridor as this Black Hawk was traveling in seems pretty simple, so that you don’t have one covering both the passenger plane and the Black Hawk. Also, having in place set guidelines as they did, and teaching, educating pilots so that they’re not traveling above or below the permitted airspace is of course of elementary importance as well.”

Getting Legal Help After a Plane Crash

We at GLK Law extend our deepest condolences to all of the families impacted by this horrific Washington D.C. plane crash. This was a preventable tragedy that should not have taken place. It is our sincere hope that the NTSB will conduct a thorough investigation into what went wrong and implement safety protocols to prevent other tragedies.

Have you or someone you care about been harmed in a commercial plane crash? Our team of aviation accident attorneys is here to answer any questions that you may have. We have decades of experience handling aviation accidents and other personal injury claims. Whether you just have legal questions or need a free, independent investigation into any incident, we are here for you. You can reach out to our office anytime at (516) 908-9792.