It was freezing. January 13, 1982, isn't just a date in a history book for people who lived in Washington D.C. at the time; it’s a visceral memory of sirens, blinding snow, and a river that looked like jagged glass. When people search for the plane crash DC what happened, they are almost always looking for the story of Air Florida Flight 90.
It was a disaster that shouldn't have occurred.
The Boeing 737-222 was headed for Fort Lauderdale. It never made it past the 14th Street Bridge. Instead, it slammed into the crowded morning commute, crushing cars and plunging into the Potomac River. 78 people died. Only five survived the water.
The Deadly Decision in the Snow
Why did it fall?
Honestly, it came down to ice and a few fatal choices in the cockpit. The plane had been sitting on the tarmac at National Airport (now Reagan National) for way too long. Snow was dumping. The de-icing process was finished, but then the airport closed for a bit. By the time they were cleared for takeoff, more than 40 minutes had passed.
Ice had built up again.
Captain Larry Wheaton and First Officer Roger Pettit made a mistake that pilots still study today. They tried to use the reverse thrust of the engines to back away from the gate because the tug was stuck in the snow. This is a huge no-no in those conditions. It basically blew slush and wet snow directly into the engine inlets.
The Gauge That Lied
When they finally rolled down the runway, the engine pressure ratio (EPR) gauges told them they had full power.
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They didn't.
Because the sensors were blocked by ice, the pilots thought they were pushing the engines to the limit. In reality, the engines were barely putting out enough thrust to get a paper plane off the ground. Pettit actually noticed something was wrong. You can hear it on the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR). He told the captain the "readings don't seem right."
Wheaton told him to go for it anyway.
The plane struggled into the air, shuddered violently as it stalled, and cleared the end of the runway by mere feet. It stayed airborne for less than a mile.
Impact on the 14th Street Bridge
Imagine driving to work in a blizzard. You’re worried about sliding on the ice. Suddenly, the belly of a 737 screams out of the white-out conditions above you.
The plane clipped the 14th Street Bridge—specifically the Rochambeau Bridge—hitting seven vehicles and tearing away 97 feet of the guardrail. It was horrific. One car was literally crushed into a ball of metal. Four people on the bridge were killed instantly.
Then, the plane nose-dived into the Potomac.
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Most of the fuselage sank quickly. The tail section broke off, and that’s where the survivors were clinging for their lives in the ice-choked water. This wasn't a movie. It was a slow-motion nightmare broadcast live on local news because the crash happened just miles from major media hubs.
Heroes in the Potomac
We talk about "the man in the water." That was Arland D. Williams Jr.
When the Park Police helicopter, Eagle 1, arrived to drop life rings, Williams did something almost unthinkable. He kept passing the line to other survivors. Every time the helicopter came back for him, he pointed to someone else. By the time they came back for him the last time, he had slipped beneath the ice. He’s the only passenger who died solely from drowning; the others died from impact trauma.
Then there was Lenny Skutnik.
He was just a bystander, a government office worker watching from the shore. He saw a woman, Priscilla Tirado, losing her grip on the rescue line. She was too weak to hold on. Skutnik didn't wait. He stripped off his coat and dived into the freezing Potomac to drag her to the bank.
It’s the kind of bravery that makes you wonder what you’d do in that spot.
Why This Crash Changed Aviation Forever
This wasn't just a tragedy; it was a massive lesson for the FAA.
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- De-icing Protocols: They completely overhauled how airports handle ice. You don't just "de-ice and go" anymore. There are strict "holdover times" now. If you don't take off within a certain window, you go back and do it again. Period.
- Crew Resource Management (CRM): This is the big one. The industry realized that junior pilots (like Pettit) were often too scared to challenge their captains. CRM training was developed to make sure everyone in the cockpit speaks up if something feels wrong.
- Engine Sensors: Modern planes have better heating elements to prevent the specific sensor icing that gave those false EPR readings.
The Reality of the "Short" Runway
National Airport has always been controversial because of its short runways and proximity to the White House and Pentagon. After the Air Florida crash, people wanted to shut it down. They didn't, obviously. But the "river visual" approach and the strict noise abatement procedures are still things pilots have to master today.
Basically, the airport is a "captain's only" landing for many airlines because it's so tight.
If you go to the bridge today, there isn't a massive monument, but the bridge itself was renamed the Arland D. Williams Jr. Memorial Bridge. It’s a quiet nod to the guy who stayed in the water so others could get out.
Lessons for the Modern Traveler
When you’re sitting on a plane in 2026 and the pilot announces they have to go back to the gate for a second round of de-icing, don't groan. Don't check your watch and complain about the 20-minute delay.
That delay exists because of what happened in D.C. in 1982.
The pilots of Flight 90 were in a rush. They were worried about the airport closing again. They were worried about their schedule. Those worries killed 78 people. Safety in aviation is written in the blood of these types of accidents, and the DC crash is one of the most significant "teachable moments" in the history of flight.
Actionable Takeaways for Air Safety Awareness
- Pay attention to the "sterile cockpit" rule: If you ever hear a pilot or flight attendant mention "sterile cockpit," it means they are in a critical phase of flight (usually below 10,000 feet) where no non-essential talk is allowed. This rule was strengthened after accidents like Flight 90.
- Respect de-icing delays: If you see fluid being sprayed on the wings, it’s not just a car wash. It’s a chemical barrier that keeps the wing's shape aerodynamically perfect. Even a layer of frost the thickness of sandpaper can reduce lift by 30%.
- Study the survivors: The people who survived Flight 90 were those who were physically able to move quickly and had a "will to live" mindset. Knowing your nearest exit—and counting the rows to it—is a habit every frequent flyer should adopt.
- Understand the "Human Factor": Aviation safety is now 10% tech and 90% human psychology. If you’re a professional in any field, look into CRM (Crew Resource Management) training; it’s widely used in surgery and firefighting now because of how well it worked for pilots after 1982.
The Potomac is calm today, but the 14th Street Bridge stands as a reminder that gravity and ice don't care about your schedule.