A man has shared the heart-stopping moment he received a message from his wife just before her plane collided with a US military helicopter over Washington, DC. The terrifying incident occurred on the night of January 29 when American Airlines Flight 5432, a Bombardier CRJ700, was involved in a mid-air collision with a Black Hawk helicopter. As news of the accident spread, families of those onboard anxiously awaited updates, fearing the worst. Among them was James Carter, who described the sheer panic he felt when he saw his wife’s text, sent just moments before impact.

James recalled that his wife, Emily, had texted him a simple message: “Love you, see you soon.” At first, he thought nothing of it, assuming she was just checking in before landing. However, just minutes later, reports of the collision began surfacing, and James’ heart sank. “I tried calling her immediately, but there was no answer. I felt helpless, just staring at my phone, hoping she would respond,” he said. As he waited for updates, he clung to the hope that she had somehow survived the horrifying incident.

Emergency responders rushed to the scene as the damaged aircraft made an emergency landing at Washington Dulles International Airport. The Black Hawk helicopter, which was on a training mission, managed to make a controlled descent despite suffering severe damage. Miraculously, both aircraft avoided a complete catastrophe, and while several passengers and crew members sustained injuries, there were no fatalities. When James finally received a call confirming that Emily was safe, he broke down in relief. “It was the longest and most terrifying hour of my life,” he admitted.