Female Black Hawk Pilot Who Crashed Into Airliner Made Multiple Mistakes: Report

Liberty Daily ^ | 4-27-25 | Publius

[Strict9]

The Black Hawk was 15 seconds away from crossing paths with the jet. Warrant Officer Eaves then turned his attention to Captain Lobach. He told her he believed that air traffic control wanted them to turn left, toward the east river bank,” the Times reported.

“Turning left would have opened up more space between the helicopter and Flight 5342, which was heading for Runway 33 at an altitude of roughly 300 feet. She did not turn left,” the report stated.

[agincourt1415]

The established low level route for helicopters crossing the approach path of DCA runway 33, no matter what the ATC procedures were or the calls, was an accident waiting to happen.

Or they need to shutdown use of RWY 33 at night, or in low visibility conditions.

Lastly, night vision should not be used in conditions of City ground lights.

[Red Badger]

Army helicopters are no longer permitted to fly in that area.................

[cpdiii]

When flying IFR which the were not but using night vision which then essentially becomes IFR, accurate communication between pilot and ground control is essential. The lady busted altitude maximums. Ground control advised to change vectors which were ignored probably due to communication error (the transmission was "stepped on by other transmissions on the same frequency and no one understood the transmission and this is common.)

The instructor pilot in command was a warrant officer, and warned her of the incoming collision possibility and was ignored. Then it gets rather unknown. Nothing happened relative to new direction by the chooper after the suggested left turn. At this point the warrant officer should have said, "I have control." He did not. Oddly as pilot in command he bears responsibility for this. He did not do it but he owns it.

PS A few years ago I had to do a check ride for a FAA inspector for a flight review. I was a bit nervous but it all went well. I suspect the warrant officer who was pilot in command had hesitancy about taking control from a superior commissioned officer. We will never know