Aircraft disasters have tested almost every US president. Here's a look back

Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald on Feb 1, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BOSTON — The deadly collision of an American Airlines flight and a military helicopter over Washington D.C. is the first major airline catastrophe to befall the U.S. since 2009, and the first test of President Donald Trump’s ability to fulfill the role of “consoler-in-chief” as he starts his second term.

While the full details of what led to Wednesday’s terrible tragedy remain unclear, it’s not the first time a president has been tested with an airline disaster.

Obama – Buffalo, New York, 2009

When a Bombardier DHC-8 operated by Colgan Air went down in Buffalo, New York, in February of 2009, it was newly-minted President Barack Obama who stepped in to offer condolences to a grieving family.

According to White House archives, the former president said he and former First Lady Michelle Obama were deeply saddened by the accident, which claimed 50 lives, and thanked first responders.

“We pray for all those who have been touched by this terrible tragedy to find peace and comfort in the hard days ahead,” Obama said.

Bush II – New York City, 2001; Belle Harbor, New York, 2001; Lexington, Kentucky, 2006

President George W. Bush oversaw the response to perhaps the most well known of aviation catastrophes, after 19 hijackers took control of four civilian aircraft on September 11, 2001. The terrorists flew two of the planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center, and another into the Pentagon. A fourth was apparently retaken by passengers, but crashed in Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 Americans were killed in the attacks.

Two months later, an American Airlines flight crashed in Belle Harbor, New York, when the plane came apart shortly after take off from New York City. Pilot error was blamed for the crash that killed 265 people, including 5 on the ground. The Belle Harbor crash is considered the second deadliest aviation accident in U.S. history.

Bush’s second term saw a crash in Lexington, Kentucky, that claimed the lives of 49 people. That crash came after the plane used an unassigned, too-short runway for takeoff.

Clinton – East Moriches, New York, 1996; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1994

While Clinton’s two terms included almost half-a-dozen major airline catastrophes, the crash of a Trans World Airlines flight enroute to Paris was the deadliest. All 230 people on board were killed when the plane crashed into the Atlantic, leading to the third deadliest crash in U.S. history.

The first crash under Clinton occurred in 1994, when a USAir flight crashed while attempting to land in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killing 132 people.

Bush I – Sioux City, Iowa, 1989

The summer of President George H. W. Bush’s first term a crash killed 111 people after the engines of an American Airlines flight failed during landing.

Reagan – Washington, D.C., 1982

Though there were several crashes during former President Ronald Reagan’s two terms, the most relevant to the current tragedy is probably the crash of an Air Florida flight in 1982. That plane apparently went down due to bad weather conditions, and 74 people were killed after it struck a bridge and fell into the Potomac River. Four passengers and a crewmember survived the crash. Four motorists were killed.

Carter – Chicago, 1979

The worst aviation disaster in U.S. history occurred under former President Jimmy Carter, when an engine detached from the wing of an American Airlines flight during takeoff. The plane crashed not far from O’Hare International Airport, killing all 271 people on board and two on the ground.

________