The co-pilot of the Black Hawk that crashed into a passenger plane in DC , killing everyone on board in both aircraft, was a woman who was being evaluated.
The female pilot has not been named but Fox News reported it was a woman with 500 hours of flying of experience, which is considered a ‘normal’ amount.
Both the instructor pilot in charge, identified as Chief Warrant Office 2 Andrew Eaves, and the female co-pilot were being evaluated during the flight and were familiar with the route.
Meanwhile the third person in the chopper, the crew chief, was named as Ryan O’Hara.
The midair collision between the Army helicopter and an American Airlines flight from Kansas killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft, officials said Thursday, as they scrutinized the actions of the military pilot after the country’s deadliest aviation disaster since 2001.
At least 28 bodies, including all three soldiers who were on the helicopter, have been pulled from the icy waters of the Potomac River as recovery operations continue on Friday.
Black Hawk’s crew is identified after DC collision tragedy
Chief Warrant Officer 2, Andrew Eaves has been identified as the pilot on board the Black Hawk Army helicopter.
The beloved husband and father-of-two was one of three soldiers aboard the aircraft conducting a training operation.
The crew chief was named as father-of-one Ryan O’Hara.
The female co-pilot has yet to be named.
Eaves’ devastated wife, Carrie, said: ‘I am sure by now all of you have heard the news of the tragedy that has occurred in DC.
‘My husband was one of the pilots in the Blackhawk. We ask that you pray for our family and friends and for all the other families that are suffering today. We ask for peace while we grieve.’
She has shared several photos of Eaves, one of which he was in uniform, and asked her friends to share photos they may have of him in his memory.
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves confirmed his death on Thursday night, taking to X to write: ‘Mississippi is mourning the loss of Brooksville native Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Eaves, who was killed in last night’s accident at Reagan National Airport.’
EXCLUSIVE: Black Hawk helicopter crew chief reveals the red flags that led up to crash
President Trump says Army chopper was flying too high
POTUS issued a fiery message on Friday morning on Truth Social.
It comes after the New York Times reported the Army chopper was flying at above 300 feet when the collision happened even though it was supposed to be at 200 feet.
EXCLUSIVE: Aviation experts knew a collision was imminent
‘I’ve gone record saying that that we’re having a lot of close calls, and that I was hopeful that it wouldn’t happen, but I think a lot of people in the aviation world suspected that eventually something was going to happen,’ Brauchle added.
‘With all those close calls, something ultimately was going to happen.’
Part of the issue has been an increase in air traffic coupled with a significant shortfall of air controllers in the FAA.
Army chopper may have been flying higher than approved
The Black Hawk involved in the crash appears to have been flying too high and outside its approved flight path during the tragedy on Wednesday, The New York Times reported.
The chopper was reportedly supposed to be flying in a different location and lower to the ground – no higher than 200 feet – when it hit the passenger jet.
It was reportedly flying at above 300 feet instead, and about a half-mile off the approved route when it hit the jet.
The pilot in charge of the Army chopper confirmed vidual sight of the American Airlines plane, and air traffic control told him to follow the route and stay behind the plane.
But the pilot did not follow the intended route, people briefed on the matter told the NYT.
Hero pilot Captain Sully shares terrifying theory on why DC plane crash happened
Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger has said he believes flying at night over water could be factors in what led to a American Airlines flight colliding with a helicopter, killing 67 people.
He said: ‘There would have been fewer ground lights visible over the water than over land at night.’
New footage of crash shows doomed jet and Black Hawk’s lights could be seen from over a mile away
The footage shows the moment the plane, flying near the US Capitol building, was approaching to land at DC‘s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday.
Lights from both aircraft are seen flashing as they continue to fly towards each other, before crashing in mid-air. A fireball then erupted in the night sky and both the plane and helicopter tumbled into the icy Potomac River.
Female NTSB head stuns with her response to Trump’s claim DEI caused the crash
National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifery Homendy stunned reporters after being asked several ways if President Donald Trump jumped the gun by blaming the deadly D.C. crash on ‘DEI’ and previous administrations.
Homendy led a press conference on-site at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Thursday afternoon.
Several of the reporters in the crowd asked her about Trump’s eyebrow-raising assertions that he made standing at the podium earlier Thursday in the White House briefing room.
‘With all due respect, I think the press also likes to state what probable cause is before we get to the probable cause,’ Homendy said. ‘So what I’m going to say is you need to give us time.’
Cockpit voice and flight data recorders have been recovered from the plane
‘NTSB investigators recovered the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder from the Bombardier CRJ700 airplane involved in yesterday’s midair collision at DCA,’ National Transportation Safety Board spokesperson Peter Knudson said.
‘The recorders are at the NTSB labs for evaluation.’
Crew chief on Army chopper named as Ryan O’Hara
Ryan O’Hara from Georgia was on board the doomed helicopter when it plunged into the Potomac River on Wednesday night.
He was one of three Army soldiers on an annual proficiency training flight and is one of the 67 lives lost in the deadliest US plane crash since 2009.
O’Hara left behind a wife and a one-year-old son, and was remembered fondly by his his school.
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Black Hawk helicopter co-pilot was woman who was being evaluated at time of DC plane crash: Live updates
