Families of those who died in the crash of American Airlines Flight 587 on Nov. 12, 2001, gathered in November for an annual memorial ceremony. The plane crashed in the Belle Harbor section of Queens.

It has been even longer since a major crash involving American Airlines, the nation’s largest carrier. In November 2001, American Flight 587 crashed after takeoff from JFK Airport in New York ...

Star-Telegram’s front-page coverage of the Nov. 12, 2001, crash of American Airlines Flight 587 out of John F. Kennedy airport in New York.

The American Airlines flight took off from John F. Kennedy International Airport on Nov. 12, 2001, headed for the Dominican Republic, but it crashed shortly after, killing 265 people.

Following the Jan. 29 American Airlines plane crash in Washington, D.C., that killed all 67 involved, investigators have sought to understand the tragedy. Here’s everything to know so far.

Star-Telegram’s front-page coverage of the Nov. 12, 2001, crash of American Airlines Flight 587 out of John F. Kennedy airport in New York.

American Airlines confirmed to PEOPLE on Friday, Jan. 31, that flight 5342 will cease to exist. The airline is retiring the number following the tragic collision in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday ...

Star-Telegram’s front-page coverage of the Nov. 12, 2001, crash of American Airlines Flight 587 out of John F. Kennedy airport in New York.

The collision marks the deadliest U.S. air disaster since November 2001 when American Airlines Flight 587 crashed in Belle Harbor, Queens, killing all 260 people onboard and five people on the ground.

Wednesday night’s crash of an American Airlines commuter plane in Washington is one of the worst disasters for the Fort Worth-based airline in more than two decades.

Among the victims of the horrific American Airlines crash in Washington D.C. was 12-year-old Brielle Beyer, whose parents say had beaten cancer as an infant.