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South Florida airports impacted by plane crash near Washington, D.C.

Aircraft collision near Washington, D.C., impacts flights at South Florida airports
Aircraft collision near Washington, D.C., impacts flights at South Florida airports 02:35

MIAMI - A Wednesday night midair plane crash near Washington, D.C. impacted flights at South Florida's airports Thursday morning.

Thursday morning, flights into and out of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were canceled. The airport closed at 9 p.m. Wednesday and reopened around 11 a.m. Thursday. During the closure, passengers were met with signs that read "Due to an emergency situation, all flights are being held on the airfield" and additional information will be available as it is received.

The aircraft crash near Washington, D.C.   

Wednesday evening, American Eagle Flight No. 5342, a regional jetliner carrying 60 passengers and four crew members, and a Black Hawk helicopter collided midair and crashed into the Potomac River near the airport. The plane had taken off from Wichita, Kansas. The three soldiers on the helicopter were on a proficiency training flight, according to Joint Task Force-National Capitol Region media chief Heather Chairez.

Thursday morning at Miami International Airport, traveler Gavin Marks told CBS News Miami he was scheduled to fly to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on an American flight at 9 p.m. Wednesday.

"First of all, it's a really sad, horrific tragedy. We were flying to Reagan yesterday evening on that flight and we were ready to taxi, we were all aboard and ready to go, when the pilot came out with his iPad and explained to us that something had gone on in D.C., that there was a small plane crash. That's what we originally heard and then we just waited for the news until we realized the flight was canceled," he said.

Marks said he had to alter his travel plans and booked another flight with United Airlines for Thursday.

"We really can't feel stressed about it. For the families, we are so sorry for their losses and any inconvenience I have, there is none. You just have to go with what it is and just feel so horrible for the tragedy that took place," he said.

The Air Florida Flight 90 incident

In 1982, a U.S. commercial flight suffered a similar tragedy and plummeted into the icy Potomac waters on a January afternoon.

Flight 90, operated by the now-defunct Air Florida, was headed to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport with 74 passengers on board and five crew members. Moments after takeoff, the Boeing 737 failed to maintain altitude and slammed into a bridge, hitting vehicles, before going into the river.

Seventy of the 74 passengers and four of the five crew aboard were killed, along with four occupants of vehicles on the bridge.

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