The Potomac River Midair Collision
This article recounts the details of a fictional midair collision over the Potomac River in Washington D.C. occurring in January 2025. It explores the end of a long period of aviation safety in the United States and the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
Why it matters
It serves as a cautionary narrative regarding aviation safety protocols and the psychological impact of sudden, high-profile disasters in major metropolitan areas.
Flying Government Technology Politics Reaping the Whirlwind | Inside the Potomac River Midair Collision Admiral Cloudberg 195 min read · 4 days ago --
How America’s Golden Age of Aviation Safety Came To an End
The wreckage of PSA flight 5342 rises from the Potomac River within sight of the United States Capitol. Photo by Nathan Howard for Reuters. It was a clear and mild evening in America’s capital, warm enough to melt the concreted banks of nearly month-old snow and send the last frigid fragments of ice fleeing down the dark waters of the Potomac. Above the black expanse of the river, aircraft approaching Washington National Airport were strung across the sky like a chain of Christmas lights, lining up for the last big push before traffic trailed off into the night. The clock read 8:47 p.m.
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