Alexandria to Install Potomac River Memorial Bench for 2025 Plane Crash Victims
The memorial bench honors victims of the 2025 Potomac River collision in Alexandria
Alexandria, Va – One year after a devastating midair collision over the Potomac River claimed 67 lives, Alexandria is creating a permanent place for remembrance and reflection near where the tragedy occurred.
A memorial bench honoring the victims of the January 29, 2025, crash between an American Airlines regional jet and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter wilAlexandria to Install Potomac River Memorial for 2025 Plane Crash Victimsl be installed along the Potomac River in Alexandria’s Rivergate City Park. The announcement was made jointly by Rep. Don Beyer (D-Va.) and Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins on the anniversary of the crash.
The American Airlines flight was approaching Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport from Kansas when it was struck by the Army helicopter, which was conducting a low-altitude training exercise along the river. All 67 people aboard the two aircraft were killed.
The memorial bench will feature plaques engraved with the names of each victim, offering families, friends, and visitors a space to pause and remember. Located in the northeastern portion of Rivergate City Park—approximately two miles south of the airport—the memorial sits within sight of the river that witnessed the final moments of the flight.
“The 67 lives lost on flight 5432 and the U.S. Army helicopter were far more than a number,” Beyer said in a statement Thursday on the anniversary of the crash. “They were parents and children, partners and friends, colleagues and neighbors — people who carried dreams, responsibilities, laughter, and love. Their journeys ended far too soon, and their absence leaves a silence no words can fill.”
Mayor Gaskins echoed that sentiment, “Alexandria will always hold those we lost on Flight 5342 and PAT 25 — and their loved ones — in our hearts, and it is my hope that this memorial will fulfill that promise. It will serve as a place for quiet reflection, remembrance, and healing.”
Once installed, the memorial bench will stand not only as a tribute to the victims, but also as a reminder of the enduring impact of the tragedy on the region and the importance of remembrance in the healing process.
