A midair collision between an American Airlines plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport resulted in the tragic loss of 67 lives.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth provided an update on Thursday regarding the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter involved in the incident. He emphasized that the helicopter was manned by a “fairly experienced crew” conducting a routine training mission.
“We do know on our side who was involved. It was a fairly experienced crew that was doing a required annual night evaluation,” Hegseth stated in a video message.
The collision occurred on Wednesday when the Black Hawk helicopter, originating from Davison Army Airfield in Virginia, collided midair with a passenger jet near Reagan National Airport.
The helicopter was on a routine annual night training flight along a designated corridor for Continuity of Government missions, which ensure essential government functions persist during crises, according to WUSA9.
The U.S. Army has initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the collision. Preliminary reports indicate that the Black Hawk was on a training flight with a crew of three soldiers.
Fox News obtained exclusive information regarding the crew members aboard the Army helicopter at the time of the accident. The instructor pilot commanding the Black Hawk boasted 1,000 flying hours.
Meanwhile, his co-pilot was a woman with 500 flying hours, considered to be a standard level of experience in aviation circles.
The revelation that the co-pilot was a woman has reignited ongoing debates about gender roles within military operations.
Fox News reported:
The instructor pilot in charge who was flying the Black Hawk had 1,000 flying hours – which is considered “very experienced,” Fox News has learned. Most flights are on average two hours in length.
The co-pilot had 500 flying hours, which is considered a “normal” amount of experience. Fox News is told the co-pilot was a woman. Both the instructor pilot in charge and the co-pilot were being evaluated during the flight, and were familiar with the area and route, Fox News is told.
Military and other government helicopters fly this route almost daily, according to a senior Army pilot and warrant officer.
According to a senior U.S. defense official, one set of remains from the soldiers on the Black Hawk were recovered Thursday afternoon.
Ryan O’Hara, a 2014 graduate of Parkview High School in Gwinnett County, Georgia, has been identified as the crew chief aboard the Black Hawk helicopter
O’Hara was a former cadet and member of the Rifle Team during his time at Parkview High School. He is remembered fondly by his peers and instructors. He leaves behind a wife and a one-year-old son.
Read more:
Crew Chief of Black Hawk Helicopter and American Airlines Pilots in Deadly Mid-Air Collision Identified
President Trump posted to Truth Social just after midnight Wednesday on the deadly collision near Reagan National Airport between an Army helicopter and a PSA/American Airlines passenger plane.
Trump’s statement:
“The airplane was on a perfect and routine line of approach to the airport. The helicopter was going straight at the airplane for an extended period of time. It is a CLEAR NIGHT, the lights on the plane were blazing, why didn’t the helicopter go up or down, or turn. Why didn’t the control tower tell the helicopter what to do instead of asking if they saw the plane. This is a bad situation that looks like it should have been prevented. NOT GOOD!!!”
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