Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

American Airlines CEO Appears to Blame Military Helicopter for Deadly D.C.-Area Crash
Breitbart ^ | 01/30/2025 | Amy Furr

Posted on 01/30/2025 10:38:58 AM PST by ChicagoConservative27

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom appeared to blame the Black Hawk military helicopter for the collision on Wednesday at Ronald Reagan National Airport, CNBC reported Thursday.

The helicopter collided with American Eagle flight 5342 around 9 p.m., and officials do not believe there were any survivors, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Per the CNBC report:

“At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft,” Isom said at a Thursday morning press conference.

PSA Airlines is an American Airlines subsidiary and one of its regional carriers. American Eagle is how American Airlines brands its regional flights.

“We’re absolutely heartbroken for the family and loved ones of the passengers and crew members and also for those that were on the military aircraft. Our focus right now is doing everything that we can to support all of those involved and also the PSA Airlines team,” he said.

Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told reporters he believes the crash was preventable, according to the New York Post. “We are going to wait for all the information to come in from this vantage point. But to back up what the president said. What I’ve seen so far do I think this was preventable? Absolutely,” he commented in reference to President Donald Trump’s comments on the tragedy:

(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: americanairlines; area; blame; ceo; crash; dc; helicopter; military
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-107 next last
Tell will tell.
1 posted on 01/30/2025 10:38:58 AM PST by ChicagoConservative27
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

And time will time. 😎


2 posted on 01/30/2025 10:40:50 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (They were the FA-est of times, they were the FO-est of times.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

I expect the Tell to be well-Timed.


3 posted on 01/30/2025 10:42:34 AM PST by C210N (Mundus vult decipi, ergo decipiatur.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

Seems to leave it open for ATC error.


4 posted on 01/30/2025 10:43:29 AM PST by 9YearLurker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: C210N

I won’t argue about a Timely Tell.


5 posted on 01/30/2025 10:43:54 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (They were the FA-est of times, they were the FO-est of times.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom
“At this time, we don’t know why the military aircraft came into the path of the PSA aircraft,”

Seems a reasonable assumption. As a helo pilot, I wouldn't want to have anything to do with a pattern for takeoff and landing of civilian aircraft.

6 posted on 01/30/2025 10:44:14 AM PST by Retain Mike ( Sat Cong)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

I see no reason why any aircraft not in the final approach and landing patterns under ATC into a busy airport should be there at all.


7 posted on 01/30/2025 10:47:25 AM PST by Carry_Okie (The tree of liberty needs a rope.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

I’m not a pilot, but I did take ground school when I was younger, I couldn’t afford the instructor time afterwards.

I do remember that there is actually a right of way rule in the sky, and the general gist is the most maneuverable aircraft must give the right away to the less maneuverable aircraft.

So with that in mind, the pecking order was helicopters need to give right of way to fix wing aircraft that need to give right of way to zeppelins that need to give right away to hot air balloon balloons.

Or at least it was something to that effect. The bottom line was the helicopter was pretty much at the bottom of the list and needed to give right of way to everything.


8 posted on 01/30/2025 10:47:43 AM PST by suasponte137
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

He’s right, it certainly was not his airline that was at fault here. I’d be pissed too.


9 posted on 01/30/2025 10:48:05 AM PST by 1Old Pro
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

I think the helo pilot messed up. Altitude was a little high and he was warned about the traffic but was paying attention to the wrong plane. Likely wearing night vision goggles and looking right when he should have been looking left.
The sky was full of planes and....


10 posted on 01/30/2025 10:48:53 AM PST by READINABLUESTATE (‘Never trust a man whose uncle was eaten by cannibals’)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

DIE has poisoned the military also.


11 posted on 01/30/2025 10:49:33 AM PST by MNJohnnie (Don't blame me, my congressman is MTG!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Retain Mike

The helo was flying into a known heavy civilian air traffic zone.

The American Airlines was likely on short final into Reagan.


12 posted on 01/30/2025 10:50:17 AM PST by Col Frank Slade
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: READINABLUESTATE

Govt can’t manage it’s assets. Becoming a real menace.

Next it will we’ve lost a nuclear submarine


13 posted on 01/30/2025 10:51:23 AM PST by Rural_Michigan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

Retired ATC here.

That ATC needed to be more proactive and protect that final.

Slap an altitude restriction on 1 or the other until resolved and or get that Blackhawk away from the final.


14 posted on 01/30/2025 10:52:08 AM PST by Jayster (Legalize Marijuana )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: suasponte137

From looking at the radar plot, it appears that both aircraft turned at almost the exact same time. The airliner turned for its final approach to land, but the copter seems to have had no reason to turn. If the copter had continued to fly straight, it may have been a near miss, but probably no collision.


15 posted on 01/30/2025 10:53:48 AM PST by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> --- )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

How could the airplane get out of the way when he was on the right path?


16 posted on 01/30/2025 10:56:46 AM PST by bray (It's not racist to be racist against races the DNC hates.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

I’m pretty sure he’s right


17 posted on 01/30/2025 10:59:14 AM PST by spacejunkie2001
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 1Old Pro
Remember the rule of "not letting a crisis go to waste".

The WEF and Globalists have wanted to greatly diminish commercial carrier air travel. For about three years now, I've seen the media jump onto everything damaging to public confidence in individual access to scheduled air carriers. This is not a coincidence. I'm not saying that was a cause of this tragedy, but it most certainly be fed eagerly into agenda driven news psy-ops propaganda methods.

18 posted on 01/30/2025 11:01:02 AM PST by blackdog ((Z28.310) Be careful what you say. Your refrigerator may be listening & reporting you.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: ChicagoConservative27

The airliner which is IFR, is on short final. The pilot flying is concentrating on his glide slope, course , speed, and the runway. The pilot NOT flying is monitoring the instruments, calling out speeds, etc. They are busy, especially when performing a circle to land maneuver.

The helo crew was VFR, meaning “see and avoid.” At low altitudes the bright lights of the urban environment can cause a pilot to “lose” traffic in the lights, especially if wearing night vision gear.The

The helo quite simply lost The jet in the city lights. If they ever saw The airliner it was a second before The collision.

The helo


19 posted on 01/30/2025 11:01:45 AM PST by TTFlyer (Lenin: that by the infliction of terror, a well-organized minority can conquer a nation.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jayster

Should ATC have alerted the pilot of the Blackhawk that ATC had changed the runway the AA flight was using to land?


20 posted on 01/30/2025 11:03:34 AM PST by mewzilla (Swing away, Mr. President, swing away!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-107 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson