Oct 14 (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday set an

April 2027 trial date for lawsuits over the collision this year

between an American Airlines ( AAL ) regional jet and a U.S.

Army helicopter that killed 67 people near Ronald Reagan

Washington National Airport.

U.S. District Judge Ana Reyes in Washington set the date at

a hearing with lawyers for victims and defendants including

American Airlines ( AAL ) and the U.S. government.

"We are not going to dishonor the people who lost their

lives, their family and friends, and we are not going to

dishonor the employees of the defendants who work hard to ensure

safety by dragging this thing along," Reyes said at the hearing.

American Airlines ( AAL ), the Federal Aviation Administration and

the U.S. Army did not immediately respond to requests for

comment. Lead attorneys for plaintiffs either declined to

comment or did not immediately respond to a request for one.

The trial will include at least two lawsuits filed so far

against American Airlines ( AAL ) and the U.S. The lawsuits, both filed

in September, also name PSA Airlines, which was operating the

flight, as a defendant.

PSA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

American Eagle Flight 5342 was on approach to Reagan when it

collided at night with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter over

the Potomac River. The helicopter was above the published

helicopter route altitude.

In a prior statement, American defended its safety record

and said it would "defend American and PSA Airlines against any

legal action claiming the airline caused or contributed to this

accident."

The crash was the deadliest U.S. air disaster in more than

20 years.