Latest news with #AndrewEaves
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Yahoo
Black Hawk pilot missed instructions before DC crash: reports
(NewsNation) — New details suggest missed instructions played a role in the January mid-air collision between an Army Black Hawk helicopter and a passenger jet in Washington, D.C., that killed 67 people. A new report from the New York Times reveals the pilot aboard the Black Hawk failed to heed a flight instructor's warning seconds before the crash. It appears multiple safety precautions failed the night of the crash, and the discussion about the crash has largely centered around the height of the helicopter. Border Patrol, Mexican government dismantle cartel lookout posts The new reporting also indicates that pilot Rebecca Lobach missed an order from her co-pilot and flight instructor Andrew Eaves, who was overseeing the training mission. The order would have changed the course of the helicopter to avoid the oncoming American Airlines jet. The pilots also missed key information when they stepped on instructions from flight control, meaning they talked over instructions from air traffic control. That meant they didn't hear directives from the tower that the plane was circling. In audio that was recorded 20 seconds from the crash, the tower asked the Black Hawk if they had the plane in sight and told them to pass behind the plane. The helicopter pilot requests visual separation to use their own visuals instead of direction from the tower. The tower approved visual separation, but it was too late. Seconds later, you can hear commotion in the tower, and then you can hear the reaction to the impact. 3 American children deported with their mothers, lawyers say The National Transportation Board has corroborated some of this. In February, they said the Black Hawk may not have heard the command because they had stopped on the audio where air traffic control told the Black Hawk helicopter twice that the plane was changing runways, was circling and would be landing. 'A radio transmission from the tower was audible on the CRJ CVR, informing the Black Hawk that traffic just south of the Wilson Bridge was a CRJ at 1200 feet, circling to runway three. CVR data from the Black Hawk indicated that the portion of the transmission stating the CRJ was circling may not have been received by the Black Hawk Crew,' NTSB chair Jennifer Homendy said. 'We hear the word circling in ATC communications, but we do not hear the word circling on the CVR of the Black Hawk.' All of which adds to the complicated picture of what happened that night. 'The Army continues to participate in the NTSB investigation and looks forward to opportunities to implement the report's recommendations,' a spokesperson from the Army told NewsNation. 'We are committed to ensuring the safety of air operations anywhere we operate and will continue to comply with FAA requirements and restrictions to enhance flight safety while supporting mission readiness.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
India Today
28-04-2025
- General
- India Today
Ignoring instructor, Army pilot's risky move led to deadly Washington crash: Report
A risky flying manoeuvre, a series of miscommunications, and ignoring her co-pilot's warnings led to the Black Hawk helicopter crashing into an American Airlines flight over the Potomac River in the US - resulting in the deaths of 67 people aboard, including all three members of the chopper - according to a report by The New York helicopter was flying at 278 feet, way above its permissible limit of 200 feet, while the plane - flying at an altitude of 313 feet - was heading towards runway 33 at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia when they collided mid-air at an altitude of about 300 feet at 8:48 pm (local time) on January 29, only was the Black Hawk flying too high, but in the final seconds before the crash, its pilot failed to heed a directive from her co-pilot, an Army flight instructor, to change course,' read the NYT report. The report further blames the air traffic controller for lacking both clarity and urgency in its communication with the Rebecca Lobach failed to follow her co-pilot and instructor Andrew Eaves's order to turn left in a bid to avoid the descending aircraft, ignoring his instructions just 15 seconds before the crash has also put additional focus on a flying manoeuvre - known as visual separation - which was deployed by the chopper, which was on an army training mission to take government officials to safety in case of an attack. Visual separation is often seen as a technique used by small aircraft and choppers to evacuate top government officials in case of an per the report, the visual separation technique was not executed properly. In visual separation, the pilot assumes the responsibility of detecting and steering clear of nearby air traffic rather than only depending on radar separation using radar surveillance - which is used to maintain a safe distance between aircrafts in a bid to avoid any practice has its limitations - poor visibility and limited range of vision from the cockpit, among others. Hence, it is allowed only under controlled air traffic control, visual separation means that air traffic controllers use the fact that pilots can see each other and their own aircraft to ensure that they are kept apart, rather than relying solely on radar separation. This method is used in controlled airspace, especially during approaches and departures, when visual separation is deemed two minutes before the crash, the air traffic controller had given the chopper permission for visual separation. From that moment on, the chopper had to rely more on its own visuals than on air control's instructions to avoid any to the report, the radio communications between the pilots and the controller broke down.20 seconds before the crash, the air-traffic controller asked if the chopper had spotted the American Airlines was the last recorded communication between the chopper and the air-traffic chopper and the aircraft collided shortly after, resulting in one of the worst crashes in US aviation history.
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Remains of all 67 victims of midair collision near DC pulled from Potomac River
The remains of all 67 victims of last week's midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army helicopter have been pulled from the Potomac River, authorities announced Tuesday. A total of 60 passengers and four crew members were on board American Eagle Flight 5342, while three soldiers from Fort Belvoir were aboard the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, when the two aircraft collided and plunged into the icy waters near Reagan National Airport on Jan. 30. No one survived the crash. On Tuesday, officials with the D.C. Fire and EMS Department released a statement confirming the recovery of all the victims, calling it a 'significant step in bringing closure to the families and the community.' The remains of 66 of the victims had been positively identified as of Tuesday afternoon. The D.C. medical examiner was still working to identify one set of remains. 'Our hearts are with the victims' families as they navigate this tragic loss,' officials said. 'We extend our deepest condolences and remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time.' Tuesday's announcement came as crews continued to remove wreckage from the bottom of the river, including 'major components' of the Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-700 series twin-engine jet. Large lifts continued the operation through Tuesday evening, with unloading expected for Wednesday morning, depending on environmental and tidal conditions, authorities said. Recovery operations will then shift to pulling the Black Hawk helicopter from the Potomac River. Among the victims of the crash were several young figure skaters returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas. They were traveling with their coaches and parents. Two pilots and two flight attendants were killed on board Flight 5342. The victims also included a group of hunters returning from a guided trip in Kansas, four members of a steamfitters' local union in suburban Maryland and nine students and parents from Fairfax County, Virginia. On board the Black Hawk were Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan O'Hara. The helicopter was on a classified training mission when it collided with the American Airlines jet. Federal investigators are still trying to piece together the events that led to the fatal collision. While full investigations typically take a year or more, officials said they hope to have a preliminary report within 30 days. ________
Yahoo
05-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Remains of all 67 victims of midair collision near DC pulled from Potomac River
The remains of all 67 victims of last week's midair collision between an American Airlines jet and a U.S. Army helicopter have been pulled from the Potomac River, authorities announced Tuesday. A total of 60 passengers and four crew members were on board American Eagle Flight 5342, while three soldiers from Fort Belvoir were aboard the UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, when the two aircraft collided and plunged into the icy waters near Reagan National Airport on Jan. 30. No one survived the crash. On Tuesday, officials with the D.C. Fire and EMS Department released a statement confirming the recovery of all the victims, calling it a 'significant step in bringing closure to the families and the community.' The remains of 66 of the victims had been positively identified as of Tuesday afternoon. The D.C. medical examiner was still working to identify one set of remains. 'Our hearts are with the victims' families as they navigate this tragic loss,' officials said. 'We extend our deepest condolences and remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time.' Tuesday's announcement came as crews continued to remove wreckage from the bottom of the river, including 'major components' of the Canadian-made Bombardier CRJ-700 series twin-engine jet. Large lifts continued the operation through Tuesday evening, with unloading expected for Wednesday morning, depending on environmental and tidal conditions, authorities said. Recovery operations will then shift to pulling the Black Hawk helicopter from the Potomac River. Among the victims of the crash were several young figure skaters returning from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships and National Development Camp in Wichita, Kansas. They were traveling with their coaches and parents. Two pilots and two flight attendants were killed on board Flight 5342. The victims also included a group of hunters returning from a guided trip in Kansas, four members of a steamfitters' local union in suburban Maryland and nine students and parents from Fairfax County, Virginia. On board the Black Hawk were Capt. Rebecca M. Lobach, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves and Army Staff Sgt. Ryan O'Hara. The helicopter was on a classified training mission when it collided with the American Airlines jet. Federal investigators are still trying to piece together the events that led to the fatal collision. While full investigations typically take a year or more, officials said they hope to have a preliminary report within 30 days. ________
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Air traffic controller 'left work early' before deadly crash as helicopter's flight height comes into question
A supervisor allowed an air traffic controller at Ronald Reagan National Airport to leave early, hours before the passenger plane collided with an Army helicopter in midair, according to reports. Both aircraft plunged into the icy Potomac River shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday and all 64 passengers on the American Airlines regional jet, along with three soldiers on the Black Hawk helicopter, are presumed dead. A single controller was left to handle the air traffic of planes and helicopters flying over the airspace when two people would typically be monitoring both flight paths, sources told NBC. The Federal Aviation Authority reportedly confirmed in a preliminary safety report of the crash that one controller was doing the job of two, according to the New York Times. Airplane and helicopter traffic is normally handled by two separate controllers until 9:30 p.m., but a supervisor allegedly merged the two jobs before the allotted changeover time, a source told the newspaper. Staffing levels were 'not normal for the time of day and volume of traffic' over the airspace, the report said, according to the outlet. Air traffic staffing will be one of several areas investigators probe as they try to piece together what led to the deadliest U.S. air disaster since 9/11. There are also new reports raising concerns about the helicopter's flight pattern including whether the aircraft was flying above its designated airspace. Radio transmissions from the night of the crash reportedly detail how the lone controller warned the helicopter crew that it was coming too close to the passenger plane. The Independent has contacted the FAA and the National Safety Transport Board, which is leading the investigation, for comment. In addition, the helicopter may have been flying too high and outside the approved flight path when it collided with the American Airlines plane, the Times also reported. The helicopter was above 300 feet when it should have been below 200 feet, four people briefed on the matter reportedly told the Times. It was also reportedly at least half a mile off the approved flight path when it smashed into the plane carrying 64 people. According to the official who spoke anonymously with the Times, the pilots had flown the route before and were 'well aware' of the restrictions and where they were permitted to fly near the airport. On Friday the FAA announced it is indefinitely limiting helicopter flights near the Reagan National Airport, according to Reuters. The restrictions will be in place 'for the foreseeable future,' according to the agency. It will also only permit police and medical helicopters in the area between the airport and nearby bridges. The bodies of the three soldiers aboard the helicopter have been recovered from the wreckage. Two of them have been named as Crew Chief Ryan O'Hara from Georgia and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves of Mississippi. Both of the passenger plane's black boxes have been recovered from the Potomac River and have been taken to labs to examine their contents.
