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Fact-Checking DC Plane Crash
We've fact-checked claims about air traffic controllers, FAA hiring and whether former President Barack Obama was on the army helicopter involved in the deadly crash.
Izz LaMagdeleine
January 30, 2025
On Jan. 29, a U.S. Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines passenger jet near Washington, D.C. All 60 passengers and four crew members on the plane, as well as three people on the helicopter, are believed to be dead.
Snopes is working on fact-checking claims that have spread about the crash. We've fact-checked rumors about air traffic controllers, FAA hiring and whether former President Barack Obama was on the helicopter so far. Please use our contact form if you would like to get in touch with a claim you think we should look into about the crash.
No Evidence Trump Fired 3,000 Air Traffic Controllers
The president was quick to blame DEI policies for a fatal midair collision in January 2025.
FAA Hiring Policy Lambasted by Trump After DC Plane Crash Existed During His 1st Term
Trump implied that a long-standing FAA policy could be to blame for the deadly collision between an Army helicopter and a passenger airplane.
No, Barack Obama Wasn't on Army Helicopter That Crashed Into American Airline Plane
Officials believe no one survived the collision.