Raphael Stevens

The plane crash Wednesday between a passenger jet and a military helicopter is bringing long-brewing concerns over congested U.S. airspace into a full-blown crisis.
Airline executives have pushed the government to modernize air traffic control and alleviate congestion in some of the busiest air corridors in the U.S.

Emergency response units search the crash site of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after the plane crashed on approach to Reagan National Airport on Jan. 30, 2025.
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images

As rescuers continued retrieving bodies out of the frigid Potomac River on Thursday, the deadliest commercial air disaster in the U.S. since 2001 is bringing long-brewing concerns over congested U.S. airspace into a full-blown crisis.
Just before 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, an American Airlines regional jet collided with a military helicopter near Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport. There were no survivors on either the Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet, which carried 60 passengers and four crew members, or on the Army Black Hawk helicopter, which was carrying three people, officials said.

Read more about the American Airlines plane collision with an Army helicopter

A series of close calls at airports in recent years has raised alarms among airlines, regulators and lawmakers. It is not immediately clear what led to the deadly collision on Wednesday. A full investigation could take months, if not longer than a year. Officials on Thursday did not blame air traffic control for the deadly crash.
In one of the recent incidents that raised concerns, a JetBlue Airways plane starting its takeoff roll at Reagan National Airport in April came within a few hundred feet of a Southwest Airlines flight, which was told to cross the runway.
Despite those close calls, there has not been a major fatal commercial airplane crash on U.S. soil since February 2009. Wednesday’s crash was the deadliest since November 2001.

A view of the Potomac River from Reagan National Airport.
CNBC, Google Earth

“The system is as safe as it has ever been,” Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan said in an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” on Thursday morning.
Airline executives have pushed consecutive administrations to modernize air traffic control and hire more staffers to help alleviate congestion in some of the busiest corridors in the U.S. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport’s main runway is the busiest in the U.S., according to the area’s airport authority.
“The system has been in need of modernization for literally decades now,” Jordan said. “You’ve got equipment that goes back to the 1960s, and modernizing the equipment actually allows for better management of the airspace, more throughput, so more efficiency.” More

Comcast executives said the company’s focus would shift to growing its mobile business after a bigger-than-expected loss of broadband customers.
Broadband customer growth has lagged in recent quarters as competition from wireless providers has ramped up.
Comcast will focus on mobile and broadband bundles.

Igor Golovniov | Lightrocket | Getty Images

Cable giant Comcast is looking to the wireless business for growth.
Comcast executives said Thursday the company will shift its focus to its mobile business after reporting a loss of 139,000 residential broadband customers during the fourth quarter.

Broadband has long been the growth engine of the cable industry, especially after the exodus of cable TV customers. Although broadband segment revenue remains stable, Comcast, like its cable peers, has been in the midst of a slowdown in customer growth, which has concerned investors in recent years.
Shares of Comcast fell 11% Thursday.
Company executives said during Thursday’s earnings call with investors that the company will shift its strategy to package mobile with broadband in a bid for more customers.
The stagnation stems from a number of factors, primarily the rise of wireless providers such as Verizon and T-Mobile offering home broadband options.
“In short, competitive conditions remain intense, dynamic and varied across our footprint and customer segments,” Comcast President Mike Cavanagh said on Thursday’s investor call. “And we see no signs of this changing in the near term.”

Mobile moves

In 2022, Comcast and fellow cable giant Charter Communications each reported their first quarterly decline in broadband subscriber growth.
Executives have cited reasons such as the slowdown in buying and selling of homes — noting there are fewer people signing up for cable when they get a new home — as well as a drop-off in additions following robust growth at the height of the Covid pandemic, when lockdowns sent Americans home to work and learn.
But the rise of fixed wireless offerings from Verizon and T-Mobile has significantly ramped up competition. In December, Comcast Cable CEO Dave Watson called out the dynamic and warned of a fourth-quarter loss of 100,000 customers. Thursday’s announcement amounted to deeper-than-projected subscriber losses.
The so-called overbuilding of fiber internet has contributed to the competition, as has fixed wireless, a 5G high-speed broadband offering that is an alternative to cable broadband. Comcast in the past has dismissed fixed wireless as “an inferior product.”
On Thursday CFO Jason Armstrong said the expectation is that fixed wireless, and likely satellite companies, will be “carving out a permanent part of the market.” He also noted cable’s increasing broadband speeds as an advantage.
In response, Comcast is looking to mobile to both grow and maintain its customer base.
“While we are the incumbent in the $80 billion U.S. residential broadband market, we are the challenger in the far larger $200 billion U.S. wireless market,” said Armstrong. “Wireless is an integral part of our broadband strategy.”
Comcast now counts more than 7.8 million mobile lines, or 12% penetration of its residential broadband customer base, giving it a “long runway ahead.”
Comcast launched Xfinity Mobile in 2017, while Charter started offering mobile in 2018. The two biggest cable companies in the U.S. have touted consistent quarterly gains of mobile lines since then. Smaller operators such as Altice USA and Cox have also added the offering.
Comcast and its cable peers’ mobile offerings rely on the wireless network of Verizon, as well as customers’ home broadband networks and Wi-Fi hotspots. Only broadband customers of Comcast can sign up for mobile service through the company.
Cable companies have said their mobile businesses reduce so-called churn, or the loss of customers, and have been key to gaining new subscribers and driving revenue growth.
Cavanagh on Thursday said the company would push to simplify its bundles, following the lead of Charter’s mobile and broadband offerings. In September, Charter unveiled a series of changes to its plans, including bundles with mobile, with CEO Chris Winfrey telling CNBC the company “wanted to make a bold statement.”
Disclosure: Comcast owns CNBC parent company NBCUniversal.  More

An American Airlines regional jet was on a standard flight path before colliding with a Black Hawk helicopter Wednesday night, CEO Robert Isom said.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said it is not unusual to have military helicopters flying in the Washington, D.C., airspace.

CEO of American Airlines Robert Isom addresses the media, after American Eagle flight 5342 collided with a Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and crashed into Potomac River, in Washington on Jan. 30, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said Thursday morning that the regional jet that collided with a Black Hawk military helicopter near Washington, D.C’s Reagan National Airport on Wednesday night was on a standard flight path.
The collision between American Eagle Flight 5342 and the helicopter occurred at about 9 p.m. Wednesday. Officials do not expect to find any survivors.

Read more about the American Airlines plane collision with an Army helicopter

“At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft,” Isom said at a Thursday morning press conference.
Isom said in a staff note Thursday that the National Transportation Safety Board would be the “sole source of truth going forward, and accuracy is of the utmost importance.”
PSA Airlines is an American Airlines subsidiary and one of its regional carriers. American Eagle is how American Airlines brands its regional flights.
“It is not standard to have aircraft collide. I’ll be clear on that,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said at the press conference. “But prior to the collision, the flight paths that were being flown from the military and from American, that was not unusual for what happens in the D.C. airspace.”
Isom added that the airline has activated its care team to assist in recovery efforts.

“We’re absolutely heartbroken for the family and loved ones of the passengers and crew members and also for those that were on the military aircraft. Our focus right now is doing everything that we can to support all of those involved and also the PSA Airlines team,” he said.

Graphic showing an aerial view of Washington, D.C., with the trajectories and altitudes of a military helicopter and a passenger jet that collided midair on Jan. 29, 2025.
Valentin Rakovskychristophe Thalabot | Afp Infographics | Getty Images

The commercial jet was flying from Wichita, Kansas, to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and was moments away from landing on the airport runway. Both vehicles crashed into the Potomac River.
Isom urged people to call American’s designated helpline at 1-800-679-8215 to find information on their loved ones.
Isom, who traveled to Washington on Wednesday night, said American’s “go team” has also been deployed to Washington to provide resources for passengers’ and crew members’ families and loved ones. Sixty-four people were aboard the flight, including 60 passengers and four crew members.
Passengers included American and Russian elite figure skaters, their coaches and family members. U.S. Figure Skating said in a statement that the skaters were returning from a training camp in Wichita.
Isom said American is working with local, state and federal authorities on the recovery efforts and that PSA Airlines is cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation.
“I know that there are many questions at this early stage that I just won’t be able to answer, but we’ll provide additional information as it comes,” Isom said.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, appeared to be unfamiliar with basic elements of the Medicare and Medicaid programs during his second Senate confirmation hearing.
If confirmed, Kennedy will lead a $1.7 trillion agency that oversees a slew of federal health agencies, including the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Kennedy struggled to identify and explain the fundamental aspects of Medicare, which provides coverage to older and disabled Americans.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. President Trump’s nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, testifies before a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., Jan. 30, 2025. 
Nathan Howard | Reuters

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, appeared to be unfamiliar with fundamental elements of the Medicare and Medicaid programs Thursday during his second Senate confirmation hearing. 
“You want us to confirm you to be in charge of Medicare, but it appears that you don’t know the basics of this program,” said Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, after Kennedy struggled to answer a series of questions about Medicare before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. 

If confirmed, Kennedy will lead a $1.7 trillion agency that oversees a slew of federal health agencies. That includes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which manages government-funded health care for millions of Americans, including seniors, disabled people and lower-income patients who rely on Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act’s markets.
Kennedy, 71, stumbled when answering questions about Medicare and Medicaid during both of his confirmation hearings this week. He appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance on Wednesday. 
Hassan, who sits on both panels, asked Kennedy on Thursday to explain what each part of Medicare is. But he struggled to identify and explain the fundamental aspects of the program, which provides coverage to older and disabled Americans.
When asked what Medicare Part A is for, Kennedy said it is “mainly for primary care or physicians.” Hassan clarified that it is coverage for seniors who receive inpatient care at hospitals. 
Kennedy, when asked what Medicare Part B is, said it is “for physicians and doctors.” Part B is coverage for a range of medical services such as doctor visits, outpatient care, home health, certain medical supplies and preventive services.

When asked what Medicare Part C is for, Kennedy called it “the full menu of all the services – A, B, C and D.” Hassan noted that Part C is also known as Medicare Advantage, which are privately run plans contracted by Medicare. Those plans serve as an alternative to traditional Medicare plans. 
Kennedy insisted that he “just explained the basics” of the program, but Hassan said she had to correct him on several things. 
The New Hampshire senator also grilled Kennedy on his comments during the hearing on Wednesday, when he appeared to confuse Medicare with Medicaid.
The state-federal Medicaid program provides coverage to around 80 million Americans, including many low-income people. Republicans could target Medicaid, which costs the federal government more than $600 billion a year, for funding reductions this year to help pay for tax cuts. 
Kennedy on Wednesday described Medicaid as “fully paid for” by the federal government, even though the program is funded by states as well. 
On Thursday, Kennedy acknowledged that the program is jointly funded by the federal government and states, adding that he “misstated something” during the hearing Wednesday. 
At the end of that Wednesday hearing, Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the ranking member of the Finance Committee, said Kennedy was “unprepared” and suggested he didn’t seem to know the difference between Medicare and Medicaid.
”My colleagues have been seeing back-and-forth between Medicare and Medicaid, and it’s not clear which program you’re using when,” Wyden said. More

Pending home sales dropped sharply in December as mortgage rates climbed.
The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage went from a low of 6.68% on Dec. 6 to a high of 7.14% on Dec. 19.
Pending sales fell in all regions, with the West and Northeast seeing the biggest monthly drops at decreases of 8.1% and 10.3%, respectively.

Signed contracts on existing homes dropped a sharp 5.5% in December from the previous month and fell 5% from the prior year, according to the National Association of Realtors.
The drop followed four straight months of gains and the index was at its lowest level since August.

These so-called pending sales are an indicator of future closings and are the most current indicator of activity in the market. Buyers out shopping in December were facing a big jump in mortgage interest rates, which may have dampened demand.
The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage went from a low of 6.68% on Dec. 6 to a high of 7.14% on Dec. 19. Realtors had been saying that buyers were getting used to a “new normal” of higher interest rates, but the 7% mark appears to be an emotional barrier for buyers.
Sales of newly built homes, which are also based on signed contracts, saw gains in December, according to the U.S. Census, but homebuilders have been aggressively buying down mortgage rates to get customers in the door.
Pending sales fell in all regions, with the West and Northeast seeing the biggest monthly drops at decreases of 8.1% and 10.3%, respectively. Those regions are where home prices are highest.
“Contract activity fell more sharply in the high-priced regions of the Northeast and West, where elevated mortgage rates have appreciably cut affordability,” said Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors. “Job gains tend to have greater impact in more affordable regions. It is unclear if heavier-than-usual winter precipitation impacted the timing of purchases.”

Prices are still stubbornly high and rising across the nation. Annual gains accelerated in late fall and early winter, according to the latest read from the S&P Case-Shiller national home price index.
Homebuying demand does not appear to be bouncing back at all in January. Mortgage applications to purchase a home last week were 7% lower than they were the same week one year ago, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.
Homes are also selling at the slowest rate in five years, according to a new report from Redfin. As of the four weeks ending Jan. 26, the typical home listing that went under contract sat on the market for 54 days before the seller accepted an offer, the longest span since March 2020 and a week longer than this time last year.
The weakness comes as the supply of homes for sale is finally rising significantly. The number of newly listed homes jumped just over 37% in January compared with December, according to Realtor.com.
“The shift in seller activity could mark a turning point in the high mortgage rate-induced standoff between buyers and sellers,” said Danielle Hale, chief economist at Realtor.com. “The uptick is likely due to some residual benefit from fall’s lower mortgage rates, which could fade.”

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An American Airlines regional jetliner coming from Wichita, Kansas, collided midair with a Black Hawk military helicopter near Washington D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, officials said.
The flight was carrying 64 people, the airline said.
The air disaster was the worst in more than 15 years.

Dozens of people were killed when an American Airlines regional jet with 64 people aboard collided with a Black Hawk military helicopter moments before the airplane was set to land at Washington D.C.’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, officials said. The accident is the worst air disaster in the U.S. in more than two decades.
Hundreds of first responders have switched to a recovery operation from rescue efforts, Washington D.C.’s Fire and EMS Chief John Donnelly said in a press conference on Thursday. Donnelly said 27 bodies have been recovered so far.

Sixty passengers and four crew members were on board the American flight. Three people were on board the military helicopter, an official said.

Part of the wreckage is seen as rescue boats search the waters of the Potomac River after a plane on approach to Reagan National Airport crashed into the river outside Washington, DC, on January 30, 2025.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | Afp | Getty Images

American Eagle Flight 5342, a PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jetliner, was on approach into the airport’s Runway 33 when it collided with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter at around 9 p.m. ET, the FAA said. The flight was arriving from Wichita, Kansas and flying at an altitude of about 300 feet at the time of the collision, according to FlightRadar24.
PSA Airlines is an American Airlines subsidiary and one of its regional carriers. American Eagle is how the airline brands its regional flights.

Both aircraft were in the icy waters of the Potomac River. The American aircraft was located and broken into at least three sections.
American Airlines CEO Robert Isom traveled to Washington, D.C., Wednesday night.

Rescuers on boats work as the sun rises at the site of the crash in the Potomac River after a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Eagle flight 5342 approaching Reagan Washington National Airport collided and crashed outside Washington, U.S., January 30, 2025. 
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters

“Our concern is for the passengers and crew on board the aircraft,” American said in a statement. “We are in contact with authorities and assisting with emergency response efforts.”
The airline provided contact information if “you believe you may have loved ones on board Flight 5342.”
American and Russian figure skaters were on board the flight, according to the countries’ official groups.
Reagan Washington National was closed Wednesday night and was expected to open at 11 a.m. ET Thursday. Officials said airlines would communicate any schedule changes to passengers.

An information screen in Reagan National Airport’s empty baggage claim area displays emergency instructions after a plane crashed into the Potomac River outside Washington, DC, Jan. 29, 2025.
Ulysse Bellier | AFP | Getty Images

The airport says its main runway is the busiest in the country.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was sworn in on Tuesday, in a press conference said that he thought the accident was preventable.
The U.S. has had a long stretch without fatal commercial passenger airline crashes. The last U.S. commercial passenger airline crash occurred in February 2009 when Continental Flight 3407 crashed into a house as it was arriving in Buffalo, New York, killing all 49 people aboard and one person on the ground.

A helicopter flies near the crash site of the American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after the plane crashed on approach to Reagan National Airport on January 30, 2025 in Arlington, Virginia. 
Andrew Harnik | Getty Images

The crash of that turboprop plane prompted federal regulations requiring more rest and training for pilots.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating Wednesday’s incident.
President Donald Trump said he was briefed on the accident Wednesday.
“Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders,” he said in a statement.

Emergency personnel work near the site of the crash, with the U.S. Capitol in the background, after American Eagle flight 5342 collided with a Black Hawk helicopter while approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and crashed in the Potomac River, U.S. January 30, 2025. 
Nathan Howard | Reuters

The Federal Aviation Administration does not have a permanent head. Former Administrator Mike Whitaker stepped down on Jan. 20, when Trump took office. Trump hasn’t yet named a nominee.
“We are shocked and saddened by the tragic accident at DCA tonight,” said the Air Line Pilots Association, a pilot union. “Our thoughts are with those affected by this tragedy and ALPA’s accident investigation team is responding to assist the National Transportation Safety Board in their investigation.”
This story is developing. Please check back for updates.
Correction: A previous headline on this story has been updated to correct a typographical error. More