All flights halted at Reagan National Airport due to plane crash

[DB]

It is being reported now that they believe, but are still verifying, that the tower scope indicated the helicopter was at 200'. The collision occurred at between 300' and 350'.

The radar update is about every 4 seconds.

The helicopter apparently climbed in altitude shortly before the impact.

[mountaineer]

The helicopter apparently climbed in altitude shortly before the impact.

At least one of the videos seemed to show clearly that the helicopter climbed, heading straight for the jet.

[mystery-ak]

https://twitter.com/TaraBull808/status/1885817605916917885

[mystery-ak]

https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1885796425436389862

[mountaineer]

Why are we putting Army pilots to work as "social aides"? Don't they have enough to do?

Lobach, 28, served as an aviation officer in the Army.  ...  According to CBS, Lobach served as a White House social aide under the Biden administration. Last month, she escorted Ralph Lauren when he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Biden.

https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1885823686415880276

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Why are we putting Army pilots to work as "social aides"? Don't they have enough to do?

Lobach, 28, served as an aviation officer in the Army.  ...  According to CBS, Lobach served as a White House social aide under the Biden administration. Last month, she escorted Ralph Lauren when he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Biden.

https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1885823686415880276

Maybe it is the other way around.

Why are we putting social aides into piloting helicopters?

[Lando Lincoln]

https://twitter.com/SecDuffy/status/1885796425436389862

Refreshing in the face of tragedy - unlike the clown show of recent years.

[mystery-ak]

Officials recover 42 remains from Potomac River as investigation into midair collision continues
Officials are 'working through' air traffic control transcript of incident
 By Andrea Margolis Fox News
Published February 1, 2025 7:36pm EST

Washington, D.C., officials released updates about the investigation of the Jan. 29 Potomac River midair collision on Saturday, detailing what bodies and debris have been removed from the water.

In a statement released on Saturday, Unified Command said that rescuers have recovered "42 sets of remains" from the crash area so far, and the D.C. chief medical examiner has positively identified 38.

 Sixty-seven people died in the incident.

Officials also said that they attempted to remove the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter with a crane, which was "briefly stabilized," but that the removal has not been successful so far.

"The U.S. Coast Guard is on the scene with numerous resources assisting with search efforts and enforcing a safety zone on the Potomac River," the statement read.

more
https://www.foxnews.com/us/officials-recover-42-remains-potomac-river-investigation-midair-collision-continues

[mystery-ak]

Victims identified in DC plane crash involving American Airlines jet and military helicopter



more
https://www.foxnews.com/us/victims-identified-dc-plane-crash-involving-american-airlines-jet-military-helicopter

[Timber Rattler]

Why are we putting Army pilots to work as "social aides"? Don't they have enough to do?

She was a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves.

[mystery-ak]

FAA Academy in Oklahoma struggled to fill classrooms due to DEI quotas, Sen. Mullin says
The senator said that hiring based on DEI is 'a huge problem moving forward for us'
By Jeffrey Clark Fox News
Published February 1, 2025 2:22pm EST

Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., told "Fox News Live" Saturday that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Academy in Oklahoma has struggled to fill classrooms due to DEI quotas.

"Where the FAA air traffic controllers get trained is right here inside of Oklahoma, in Oklahoma City," Mullin said. "That's their training hub and I will tell you we were having a hard time filling the classes because of DEI."

Flight safety has become a topic of debate this week after an American Airlines plane and an Army helicopter collided outside Reagan National Airport on Wednesday. Two days later on Friday, a medical jet crashed on a street near the Roosevelt Mall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Mullin argued that DEI may have played a role in the lack of safety preparedness, especially following the crash outside Reagan National Airport. He said that focusing on hiring "the best and brightest individuals" is a far more dependable strategy than focusing on "diversity, equity and inclusion" policies.

At the FAA academy in Oklahoma City, DEI policies resulted in classes not being used to capacity to fulfill DEI quotas, Mullin said.

"Instead of these classes being 100% full, we were at 80% or 70%, and it wasn't from the lack of individuals applying for it except for each class had a ratio that they had to have on it," the senator said.

more
https://www.foxnews.com/media/faa-academy-oklahoma-struggled-fill-classrooms-due-dei-quotas-sen-mullin-says

[mystery-ak]

https://twitter.com/LauraLoomer/status/1885850262704734599

[Timber Rattler]

https://twitter.com/LauraLoomer/status/1885850262704734599

Laura Loomer is a nutcase and needs to shut her yapper.

[mountaineer]

She was a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves.

Ah, okay. I thought she was full-time Army.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

She was a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves.

and Lloyd Austin is a general and former Sec of Defense.

We obviously know about his competence, so the rank may not seem to mean much.

[Stevensr123]

I thought republicans were pro military and veterans? Yet you have people on here making assumptions based off zero evidence, including trump. Was she gay? Who knows, what she a DEI hire? Who knows, let’s stick to FACTS. Also just because someone is gay/black/minority/non white/a women doesn’t make them a DEI hire. Many women have served your country and have done the country proud, many are veterans who have done more for your country than you people ever will.

Should DEI exist? No, DEI lowers standards.  But putting people in boxes and saying she/he is a DEI because they are white/black/gay/minority is doing exactly what the democrats do -  putting people in groups and boxes and judging them based on various factors.

[Stevensr123]

and Lloyd Austin is a general and former Sec of Defense.

We obviously know about his competence, so the rank may not seem to mean much.

and you know absolutely nothing about this lady, so why do you feel like you have the facts at hand to judge her or her record or competence?

We know nothing about the crash yet. All I know is this lady joined the army and made a pledge to protect your country.

[Timber Rattler]

I thought republicans were pro military and veterans? Yet you have people on here making assumptions based off zero evidence, including trump. Was she gay? Who knows, what she a DEI hire? Who knows, let’s stick to FACTS. Also just because someone is gay/black/minority/non white/a women doesn’t make them a DEI hire. Many women have served your country and have done the country proud, many are veterans who have done more for your country than you people ever will.

Should DEI exist? No, DEI lowers standards.  But putting people in boxes and saying she/he is a DEI because they are white/black/gay/minority is doing exactly what the democrats do -  putting people in groups and boxes and judging them based on various factors.

 

[240B]

Black Hawk didn't follow air traffic controller's route before DC plane crash

Daily Mail
By ALYSSA GUZMAN
1 February 2025

The Army Black Hawk that collided with an American Airlines plane was hundreds of feet outside air traffic control's predesignated, approved route ahead of the deadly crash over the Potomac River.

The Black Hawk was supposed to be following 'Route 4' - a known path at Reagan National that allows helicopters to fly at low altitudes below 200 feet to avoid commercial jets arriving at the Virginia airport - sources told The New York Times.

However, the military aircraft - which was marked as a PAT-25 - was flying above 300 feet and was at least a half-mile off course when it collided with American Airlines Flight 5342 on Wednesday evening, killing 67 people.

An experienced air traffic controller exclusively told DailyMail.com that the air traffic control (ATC) audio that emerged from the crash showed the operator's instructions to the helicopter were 'very ambiguous.'

In the nearly minute-and-a-half recording, ATC operators could be heard asking the helicopter if the commercial flight is in sight.

Through muffled audio, more commands and confirmations were made between ATC operators.

One air traffic controller said to the helicopter pilot: 'PAT 2-5, do you have the CRJ in sight?'

Seconds later, the controller spoke again, requesting: 'Pat 2-5 pass behind the CRJ.'

(more)
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14349845/black-hawk-air-traffic-controller-route-dc-plane-crash.html

[Hoodat]

@Stevensr123

People are just trying to fill in the blanks here.  And government hasn't given them a reason to trust them.  Maybe the government should be more forthcoming here.

[Stevensr123]

@Stevensr123

People are just trying to fill in the blanks here.  And government hasn't given them a reason to trust them.  Maybe the government should be more forthcoming here.

you can try and fill in blanks, but let’s not start creating a situation where anyone who isn’t a white male should be labeled DEI.

Many women have died for your country, they shouldn’t be labeled DEI.

[dfwgator]

Should DEI exist? No, DEI lowers standards.  But putting people in boxes and saying she/he is a DEI because they are white/black/gay/minority is doing exactly what the democrats do -  putting people in groups and boxes and judging them based on various factors.

But that's one of the worst things about DEI,    it makes people question why somebody is in the position they are in, even if they are qualified.   Was she truly the best person for the job, given other applicants?     As long as DEI exists, people will ask these questions.

[Stevensr123]

But that's one of the worst things about DEI,    it makes people question why somebody is in the position they are in, even if they are qualified.   Was she truly the best person for the job, given other applicants?     As long as DEI exists, people will ask these questions.

I agree that’s the worse thing about DEI, but let’s not label everyone a DEI - again the democrats are the ones who put people in boxes based on characteristics. Increase standards again and those people will leave.

But it’s horrible you have people labelling someone who just died in your army, DEI. It’s anti military and sounds WOKE and leftist.

[Smokin Joe]

I thought republicans were pro military and veterans? Yet you have people on here making assumptions based off zero evidence, including trump. Was she gay? Who knows, what she a DEI hire? Who knows, let’s stick to FACTS. Also just because someone is gay/black/minority/non white/a women doesn’t make them a DEI hire. Many women have served your country and have done the country proud, many are veterans who have done more for your country than you people ever will.

Should DEI exist? No, DEI lowers standards.  But putting people in boxes and saying she/he is a DEI because they are white/black/gay/minority is doing exactly what the democrats do -  putting people in groups and boxes and judging them based on various factors.

I think what you are trying to say is that just because they check all the boxes, doesn't mean they cannot be competent, too.

Obviously, someone made an error, or the collision would never have taken place.
Who was on the stick? Were they considered for the position because of competence first?

Up thread, it is noted that qualified people have been overlooked because they would throw quota ratios off, so those positions went unfilled. Were standards lowered to fill other positions and more competent people overlooked because they did NOT check the gender, sexuality, race, or some other box besides competence.
That is the issue. Are the best and brightest being denied opportunities because they aren't "gay/black/minority/non white/a women"? If so, that is just wrong, and degrades the performance of the group.

[Smokin Joe]

But that's one of the worst things about DEI,    it makes people question why somebody is in the position they are in, even if they are qualified.   Was she truly the best person for the job, given other applicants?     As long as DEI exists, people will ask these questions.

Affirmative action did the same to competent blacks early on, when previously, a black in any position could have been assumed to have earned their rank, often far exceeding the qualifications.