A mid-air collision near Washington, D.C. involving an Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft, officials said Thursday.

The potential for crashes involving commercial planes and military aircraft is something many airports across the country have to navigate.

It’s not uncommon for commercial airlines to share space with military aircraft. It’s what is done at Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport.

The aircraft share runway and air space every day as the airport is home to an Aviation Support Battalion of the New York Army National Guard.

"When it comes to the operation on the airfield, the air traffic control, and how you coordinate the commercial aircraft with private aircraft with the National Guard that's located right just adjacent, you see the helicopters come in and out (and), it’s all regulated and managed by the FAA and the federal government,” said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello.

He and Rep. Joe Morelle took questions Thursday about the devastating mid-air collision between a military Blackhawk helicopter and a commercial jetliner on approach to Ronald Reagan National Airport Wednesday night.

“We're always going to take great pains to make sure that our air traffic controllers have all the information they need (and) the latest technology they need," Morelle said. "We're always going to try to coordinate to the best we can between military aircraft and civilian aircraft. It's something we strive to do."

Morelle says he is a frequent flyer to Ronald Reagan National Airport.

“I do fly in and out, literally every week," he said. "So, I'm heartbroken for the 60 or so passengers on both the American Airlines flight, which I also take and fly into Reagan DCA, as well as the individuals on the Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter in that collision.

"One accident is one too many. So, we are going to get to the bottom of this. But I think people should be reassured that there are systems in place. And, while this is tragic, people should be comforted by the fact that we have very, very safe airspace.”