All flights halted at Reagan National Airport due to plane crash

[Cyber Liberty]

We can be pretty certain she didn't just convert to Islam...

That is likely so....

[Bigun]

Know what would be a first class conspiracy?  What if the chopper pilot had converted to Islam and deliberately crashed into the plane?

At this point I discount no possibility.

[Luis Gonzalez]

I’m all for discussing things and obviously not shutting down debate and ideas, I just found it distasteful DEI was the blame, when bodies where fresh, families are mourning, and soldiers loved ones have just found out their son and/ daughter have just died and NOONE could possible know the facts.

DEI is a problem, trump is going to fix it, it’s both possible to be against DEI, and act with a bit of class when 60+ of your fellow citizens have just died, including 3 service men/women.

I get it but…

DEI itself is the cause and reason why the question comes up. You can’t publicize a mandatory policy to hire and promote on criteria other than talent, performance and ability then expect that the policy, and by extent the person won’t be blamed.

I went online to see what I could find on the Blackhawk pilot once her name was released, and was astounded at the near total lack of an online presence for her. A Hillary level scrubbing.

[DB]

I get it but…

DEI itself is the cause and reason why the question comes up. You can’t publicize a mandatory policy to hire and promote on criteria other than talent, performance and ability then expect that the policy, and by extent the person won’t be blamed.

I went online to see what I could find on the Blackhawk pilot once her name was released, and was astounded at the near total lack of an online presence for her. A Hillary level scrubbing.

I literally have no other presence on the Web than here.

[DCPatriot]

[mystery-ak]

I get it but…

DEI itself is the cause and reason why the question comes up. You can’t publicize a mandatory policy to hire and promote on criteria other than talent, performance and ability then expect that the policy, and by extent the person won’t be blamed.

I went online to see what I could find on the Blackhawk pilot once her name was released, and was astounded at the near total lack of an online presence for her. A Hillary level scrubbing.

I did too and then articles about her started popping up on X which I posted on TBR...but you can tell everything has been scrubbed..just your basic bio info..

[Luis Gonzalez]

A native of Durham, North Carolina, Capt Rebecca Lobach had  ...

BNO News Live
@BNODesk
·
Feb 1
The second pilot of the Black Hawk helicopter involved in the D.C. mid-air collision has been identified as Rebecca Lobach, 28.

Rebecca also served as a military social aide at the White House, helping the president host events and ceremonies.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/117860830.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst

[Smokin Joe]

Chances are that withholding her name and scrubbing her social media accounts will invite more suspicion, not less (there will always be some). Any time someone is treated differently, it will raise flags.

[DB]

Chances are that withholding her name and scrubbing her social media accounts will invite more suspicion, not less (there will always be some). Any time someone is treated differently, it will raise flags.

Yep. And someone in a high place thought it was better to do that than leave it out in the open. Nothing is really gone on the Web unless you get the big players to clean their way back servers. Did they? We'll see.

[Luis Gonzalez]

Chances are that withholding her name and scrubbing her social media accounts will invite more suspicion, not less (there will always be some). Any time someone is treated differently, it will raise flags.

Yet, that what was done.

[Timber Rattler]

Chances are that withholding her name and scrubbing her social media accounts will invite more suspicion, not less (there will always be some). Any time someone is treated differently, it will raise flags.

True enough, BUT it was the family that did it and not DoD, and DoD policy is to typically grant the family 72 hours before releasing any names of deceased service members in the aftermath of whatever happened.  And remember who was SECDEF when this happened...is Pete participating in a cover-up now?

[rangerrebew]

Before D.C. Plane Crash, Army Helicopter Was Flying 100 Feet Too High and Twice Warned About Passenger Jet: Officials
Story by Toria Sheffield • 13h

Investigators released new details regarding the U.S. Army helicopter that collided with American Airlines Flight 5342
 
Officials have released new information regarding the U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter that collided with American Airlines flight 5342 on Wednesday, Jan. 29, which resulted in the death of 67 people.

In a briefing on Saturday, Feb. 1, officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) told reporters that the Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the plane between 300 feet and 350 feet above the ground, meaning it was flying more than 100 feet higher than it was authorized.

However, the authorities said, there was also a more preliminary indication that — for some reason still being examined — the helicopter may have registered to air traffic control as being at only about 200 feet, though more reliable data shows the passenger jet was at a higher altitude when it was hit.

Officials said they expected more information soon, to narrow down the helicopter's movement through the air.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/before-d-c-plane-crash-army-helicopter-was-flying-100-feet-too-high-and-twice-warned-about-passenger-jet-officials/ar-AA1yhWTw?ocid=widgetonlockscreen&cvid=e073df4ab38b490d9f8c2da74f4de3fa&ei=53

[Smokin Joe]

True enough, BUT it was the family that did it and not DoD, and DoD policy is to typically grant the family 72 hours before releasing any names of deceased service members in the aftermath of whatever happened.  And remember who was SECDEF when this happened...is Pete participating in a cover-up now?

I did not say anyone was covering anything up, although they could be and we'd be none the wiser. If here is nothing to hide, why hide it?
As for the new SECDEF, it would not be the first time someone had been 'worked around', it has happened at the highest levels.

[rustynail]

NTSB: Conflicting Altimeter Data Retrieved After Midair Collision Near Washington

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials told reporters on Feb. 1 that preliminary altimeter data do not match the events on the night of the deadly accident.

Officials said the control tower recorded the Black Hawk helicopter flying at an altitude of 200 feet at the time of the collision, in line with its maximum allowed altitude for its flight path.

However, data from the passenger jet’s flight recorder show the collision occurred at an altitude of about 325 feet, plus or minus 25 feet.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ntsb-conflicting-altimeter-data-retrieved-after-midair-collision-near-washington

[DB]

NTSB: Conflicting Altimeter Data Retrieved After Midair Collision Near Washington

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) officials told reporters on Feb. 1 that preliminary altimeter data do not match the events on the night of the deadly accident.

Officials said the control tower recorded the Black Hawk helicopter flying at an altitude of 200 feet at the time of the collision, in line with its maximum allowed altitude for its flight path.

However, data from the passenger jet’s flight recorder show the collision occurred at an altitude of about 325 feet, plus or minus 25 feet.
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/ntsb-conflicting-altimeter-data-retrieved-after-midair-collision-near-washington

The tower depends on transponder data from the aircraft to have accurate altitude data. Radar alone, especially at such a low altitude is not very accurate. If the helicopter didn't have a transponder or it wasn't on, the tower would not accurately know the altitude of the helicopter. The big question is, what altitude did the flight recorder on the helicopter report. That is likely what the pilots were using along with just looking out the window.

[Hoodat]

Officials said the control tower recorded the Black Hawk helicopter flying at an altitude of 200 feet at the time of the collision, in line with its maximum allowed altitude for its flight path.

However, data from the passenger jet’s flight recorder show the collision occurred at an altitude of about 325 feet, plus or minus 25 feet.

Either way, 125 ft is a near miss.  There is no conceivable way any air traffic controller should have allowed the paths of two aircraft to come within 125 feet of each other.

[mountaineer]

Jilly
@JillRTeamXRP
In the tragic mid-air collision near Washington, D.C., on January 29, 2025, the Black Hawk helicopter’s crew consisted of:
•Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, 28: Serving as the pilot undergoing her annual proficiency evaluation.
•Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, 39: Acting as the instructor pilot overseeing the evaluation.
•Staff Sergeant Ryan O’Hara, 28: Serving as the crew chief.
At the time of the accident, it is not definitively known whether Captain Lobach or Chief Warrant Officer Eaves was at the controls. Investigations are ongoing to determine this detail.
6:26 PM · Feb 3, 2025


Jilly
@JillRTeamXRP
Rebecca Lobach started flying military helicopters in July 2019 and had 450 flight hours in her career and supposedly flew even during the time frame she worked at the White House. The average flight hours for a U.S. military helicopter pilot can vary based on their assignment, operational tempo, and training requirements. However, here are some general estimates:

•Active-duty pilots: Typically fly 15 to 30 hours per month (180–360 hours per year).
•Pilots in high-tempo units (e.g., deployments): Can exceed 40+ hours per month (480+ hours per year).
•National Guard/Reserve pilots: Usually fly 4 to 10 hours per month but may increase during training or deployments.

Since Captain Rebecca Lobach had over 450 flight hours from mid-2019 to early 2025 (about 5.5 years), her average would have been around 6–7 hours per month, though this may have varied based on her role and training phases. Not saying she wasn’t good at what she did but is it possible she wasn’t current in her flights at night or at that specific airport ?
Seems unusual that all her social media posts were deleted prior to publicly revealing her name by the family.
I think the country and the families of all those deceased have a right to know what the truth is so no one has to assume the why behind this happening . No one wants another incident like this to ever take place again .
6:20 PM · Feb 3, 2025

No matter which one was at the controls, I wonder if he or she had a lot of experience flying at night around DCA.

[Drago]

Either way, 125 ft is a near miss.  There is no conceivable way any air traffic controller should have allowed the paths of two aircraft to come within 125 feet of each other.

Apparently it was allowed to happen a lot on the SFR Potomac river helicopter routes...dozens of helicopters fly that route every day at 200 feet or less near the end of the more infrequently used (for arrivals) runway 33. And the Blackhawk was VFR...i.e. not under "positive control" of ATC. Had the Blackhawk been flying an IFR flight plan then ATC would have had responsibility to maintain separation between the aircraft. (Under VFR rules it is 100% "See and Avoid" by the pilots of the VFR aircraft)...could ATC have helped more? For sure, "Yes", but a lot of holes in the Swiss cheese lined up on this one, night w/NVG's...they have to look under the NVG's to see your "steam gauges" (probable "L" model Blackhawk with older "steam gauges" w/o any "glass cockpit" gauges)...when dialing in the local altimeter setting a 1/10 inch of Hg mis-setting results in a 100 foot altimeter reading error. If the analog altimeter in the Blackhawk was mis-set it could show they were at 200' instead of the actual 325'. Short-staffed tower that night with 19 planes inbound?, etc., etc.

My prediction: the SFR's for the Potomac helicopter routes #1 & #4 will be changed so that VFR helicopters must be in contact with the tower and "hold short" of the approach end of runway 33 until approaching IFR aircraft have landed on 33.  An airline pilot mentions this and other info. here:

https://youtu.be/n9mAUks0krI?si=1_CJW6Xkj32LOFdP

[mystery-ak]

Two Reagan National Airport Employees Were Just Arrested. Here's Why.

Madeline Leesman
 |  February 04, 2025 9:00 AM


Two Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) employees were arrested for allegedly leaking footage of last week’s horrific mid-air aviation collision at Reagan National Airport to CNN.

As Townhall covered, an unspeakable tragedy occurred at DCA last week. An American Airlines jet coming in for landing collided with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Wednesday evening. Once they collided, both aircraft spiraled downward into the icy Potomac River.

All 64 airplane passengers and three soldiers in the helicopter perished. Divers have worked tirelessly to recover as many of the deceased as possible. So far, more than 40 bodies have been pulled from the frigid river.

Predictably, video footage of the horrifying accident was leaked to CNN. The outlet boasted that they’d obtained the footage. Viewers can clearly see the helicopter and the plane on a collision course from a vantage point not captured by other webcam videos of the accident. The collision, explosion, and aftermath are clearly shown in the brief footage.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTgUrfQsOnA&t=60s&ab_channel=CNN

more
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/madelineleesman/2025/02/04/two-reagan-national-airport-employees-were-just-arrested-heres-why-n2651617

[mystery-ak]

more

 Two airport authority workers arrested for allegedly leaking DC plane crash video to CNN
By David Propper   
Published Feb. 3, 2025, 6:57 p.m. ET

Two employees of the authority that manages Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were arrested over their alleged involvement in leaking surveillance footage of last week’s deadly midair aircraft collision to CNN.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) staffers are accused of making an unauthorized copy of records and are facing charges of computer trespass, the agency said Monday.

The legal trouble is tied to the chilling video obtained by CNN last week that offered a horrifying new vantage point in the crash over the Potomac River, ABC News reported.

The Wednesday night collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet killed all 67 people on both aircraft.

more
https://nypost.com/2025/02/03/us-news/two-airport-authority-workers-arrested-for-allegedly-leaking-dc-plane-crash-video-to-cnn/

[MeganC]

more

 Two airport authority workers arrested for allegedly leaking DC plane crash video to CNN
By David Propper   
Published Feb. 3, 2025, 6:57 p.m. ET

Two employees of the authority that manages Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport were arrested over their alleged involvement in leaking surveillance footage of last week’s deadly midair aircraft collision to CNN.

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) staffers are accused of making an unauthorized copy of records and are facing charges of computer trespass, the agency said Monday.

The legal trouble is tied to the chilling video obtained by CNN last week that offered a horrifying new vantage point in the crash over the Potomac River, ABC News reported.

The Wednesday night collision between a Black Hawk helicopter and an American Airlines passenger jet killed all 67 people on both aircraft.

more
https://nypost.com/2025/02/03/us-news/two-airport-authority-workers-arrested-for-allegedly-leaking-dc-plane-crash-video-to-cnn/

"Both videos were shot on cellphones, CNN reported Friday."

If the videos were shot on cell phones then what's with the arrests and charges?

[DCPatriot]

"Both videos were shot on cellphones, CNN reported Friday."

If the videos were shot on cell phones then what's with the arrests and charges?

How could they both happen to be filming with their phones in real time?

They used their phones to record the crash from their office archive screens...that's how.  

[MeganC]

How could they both happen to be filming with their phones in real time?

They used their phones to record the crash from their office archive screens...that's how.  

It looked like decent video when I saw it. Much better than what the 'official' video showed. None of the artifacts you'd see from recording a monitor either.

[mystery-ak]

 Helicopter had important safety system turned off during collision with American Airlines jet, senator says
By Reuters   
Published Feb. 7, 2025, 4:19 a.m. ET


A key safety system was turned off on the US Army helicopter that collided with an American Airlines regional jet last week near Washington’s Reagan Airport, killing 67.

Senate Commerce Committee Chair Ted Cruz (R-Texas) told reporters the Black Hawk helicopter had turned off its automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B), which is permitted for military aircraft.

“This was a training mission, so there was no compelling national security reason for ADS-B to be turned off,” Cruz said after a briefing from the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration.

In the deadliest US air disaster in more than 20 years, the aircraft collided last week, with both craft plunging into the Potomac River.

The helicopter was flying about 100 feet over the maximum allowed for that route, the NTSB said earlier.

more
https://nypost.com/2025/02/07/us-news/black-hawk-helicopter-had-important-safety-system-turned-off-during-collision-with-american-airlines-jet-senator-says/

[MeganC]

“This was a training mission, so there was no compelling national security reason for ADS-B to be turned off,” Cruz said after a briefing from the National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration.

This was not a training mission. That's why the ADS-B was turned off.

This was a regularly scheduled helicopter flight that ran this peculiar and very specific route several times each week.

My estimation of what happened here was that the helicopter was not deviating from its scheduled flight path and the flight crew of the helicopter bears no responsibility whatsoever for the disaster. 

The airliner was originally supposed to land at a different runway and ATC routed it to a different runway at the last minute.

The helicopter crew thought they were safe crossing the approach to the secondary runway because nothing was supposed to be landing there at that time.

ATC bears the responsibility for deviating the airliner within airspace in which deviations are not supposed to occur. Ever.