A US commercial airliner with 64 people aboard and a military helicopter collided over Washington on Wednesday before crashing into the Potomac River.
A rescue operation had turned into a recovery operation by Thursday morning, with no survivors expected.
Here's what we know so far:
What happened?
Just before 9pm (3am CET Thursday) a Bombardier jet operated by American Airlines subsidiary PSA was approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport when it collided with a Black Hawk helicopter.
Authorities said that the weather Wednesday night was clear, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy adding that the crash was "absolutely" preventable.
In footage taken from the Kennedy Center, Washington's riverside theater, the powerful lights of a descending airplane and the dimmer lights of another aircraft heading toward it can be seen until the collision, which produced a fireball.
Both aircraft plunged into the Potomac river, with the plane fuselage splitting into three separate pieces.
"I just saw a fireball and then it was just gone. I haven't seen anything since they hit the river," an air traffic controller said on audio captured just after the collision.
No survivors
As of Thursday morning, first responders had pulled 28 bodies from the icy river after operations throughout the night - 27 plane passengers and one from the helicopter.
Washington Fire Chief John Donnelly told a news conference that "at this point we don't believe there are any survivors."
American Airlines reported 60 passengers and four crew members were aboard the flight.
Three military personnel were on board the helicopter, according to a US military official.
The close-knit world of figure skating was in mourning after it was revealed the plane was carrying athletes and coaches, including former Russian world pairs champions Evgenia Shishkova and Vadim Naumov.
Several members of the US figure skating community were also passengers.
Complex rescue operation
A large-scale and "extremely complex" search and rescue operation was launched Wednesday night, with boats still on the water Thursday as day broke over Washington.
"It's pitch dark. The water is cold and murky. These are very difficult conditions for divers," he said.
"There's wind, ice, it's dangerous."
Water conditions were cold enough for hypothermia to set in within 30 minutes, according to experts.
As of Thursday morning, debris had spread downriver into Maryland.
Was it avoidable?
The airspace around Reagan is extremely busy, with military and commercial craft ferrying thousands of passengers, including top government and military officials.
But there was nothing unusual about the Army helicopter flying a training mission in such tight conditions, officials said. Both aircraft were on standard flight patterns on a clear night with good visibility.
According to American Airlines, the pilot of the plane had six years' experience.
And Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said those aboard the helicopter were a "fairly experienced crew."
Ahead of the crash, controllers warned the helicopter it was on course to collide with a passenger jet, with audio captured from the deadly accident ending in audible gasps from those in the control room.
"Pat 2-5 do you have the CRJ in sight?" a controller asked, using the call sign for the Black Hawk helicopter, asking if it could see the airplane. "Pat 2-5, pass behind the CRJ."
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he believed the crash was "absolutely" preventable.
US President Donald Trump, chiming in on social media, asked "why didn't the helicopter climb or descend, or make a turn?"
"Why didn't the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane? This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!