Helicopter Crash Sparks Debate on Pilot Error and Policy Controversy

Did a female Black Hawk pilot ignore life-saving instructions from her co-pilot leading to the deadliest U.S. aviation disaster in over two decades? New evidence suggests Army Captain Rebecca Lobach may have been negligent in the fatal crash that killed 67 people near Reagan National Airport – meaning accusations of this case being a “DEI crash” look to have been…correct.

At a glance:

• A U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter collided with an American Airlines plane on January 29, killing all 67 people aboard both aircraft

• Black Hawk pilot Capt. Rebecca Lobach reportedly failed to follow instructions from her flight instructor to change course

• The crash has been labeled the worst U.S. aviation disaster since 2001

• The helicopter’s tracking technology was switched off for a classified mission, complicating air traffic control efforts

• Multiple safety precautions failed, leading to questions about pilot evaluation standards and military protocols

Female Pilot Deliberately Ignored Male Expert

New details have emerged regarding the catastrophic collision between a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter and American Airlines Flight 5342 near Reagan National Airport in January. Captain Rebecca M. Lobach, who was piloting the Black Hawk at the time, reportedly ignored critical instructions from her male co-pilot and flight instructor, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Andrew Loyd Eaves, to make a crucial left turn that could have prevented the tragedy; a man with an enormous amount of experience.

The fatal crash resulted in the deaths of all 64 passengers and crew aboard the American Airlines plane and the three helicopter crew members. This incident marks the deadliest aviation disaster on U.S. soil since the September 11 attacks in 2001, raising serious questions about military flight protocols and pilot competency.

An investigation has revealed that the female pilot who killed 67 people after crashing a Black Hawk into a passenger plane in DC in January was told repeatedly by her male co-pilot to turn before the collision, but she did not heed his warnings.

Not only did she ignore her more… pic.twitter.com/AnghMpLbQQ

— AF Post (@AFpost) April 28, 2025

Failed Safety Measures And Protocol Violations

The Black Hawk crew had requested to fly by “visual separation,” a procedure allowing pilots to avoid collisions by sight, but this protocol was not properly executed. The helicopter’s ADS-B Out system, which provides real-time position data to air traffic controllers, was deliberately turned off due to the classified nature of their mission, significantly hampering controllers’ ability to track the aircraft in the congested airspace.

FAA deputy administrator Katie Thomson acknowledged the severity of the systems breakdown, stating, “Multiple layers of safety precautions failed that night.” The pilots were using night-vision goggles during the flight, equipment that can be adversely affected by bright urban lights, potentially contributing to their failure to spot the passenger jet in time.

Not used to getting the truth less than 3 months after a preventable catastrophe. Wow.

“Not only was the Black Hawk flying too high, but in the final seconds before the crash, its pilot failed to heed a directive from her co-pilot, an Army flight instructor, to change course.”… pic.twitter.com/T5pq4Tm9gf

— Cory Klippsten Swan.com (@coryklippsten) April 27, 2025

Regulatory Changes And Ongoing Investigation

Following the tragedy, both the FAA and the Army have implemented significant changes to prevent similar disasters. The FAA has permanently closed the helicopter route along the Potomac River where the collision occurred and now requires all aircraft in the airport’s airspace to have ADS-B Out systems activated at all times, regardless of mission classification.

The Army has also issued new guidance increasing the risk assessment level for operations with tracking systems turned off. Brigadier General Matthew Braman suggested the complexity of the incident, noting, “I think what we’ll find in the end is there were multiple things that, had any one of them changed, it could have well changed the outcome of that evening.”

The National Transportation Safety Board continues its investigation, with a final report expected in early 2026. Their preliminary findings indicate a troubling history of near-misses between helicopters and commercial planes at Reagan National Airport, with many incidents involving military helicopters flying above permitted altitudes in the restricted airspace.

If only she’d have just listened to her co-pilot…